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“Both businesses are getting a lot of calls asking if it’s safe to park around here.”
NEW ORLEANS — Chewbaccus triumphantly returned to St. Claude Avenue on Saturday.
The parade was cut short a few days before it took place in 2022 due to NOPD manpower shortages and COVID-19, but has not been postponed again.
“We worked without Councilman Freddie King and prepared all year long,” said Simonette Berry, reigning Chewbacchus. “We figured out how to hire additional security guards, so when it came time to fill out the permits, we were ready.”
Before the parade started, many people were concerned about its security.
“Both businesses have been getting a lot of calls asking if it’s safe to park around here,” said Mowgli Pierras, owner of Casa di Pasta in Arabel and co-owner of Cajun. I will,” he said.
Pierlas said Chewbaccus is the biggest night of the year and it’s great news that the parade is back outside your door. Customers are nervous, however, as the number of stolen vehicles surges across New Orleans.
“Obviously, it affects business,” says Pierlas. “It has a bad effect on the city. It makes us look bad. My main concern is that we keep talking about the problem and no one has a viable solution to this problem.” .”
More than 600 cars have been stolen in New Orleans so far this year, and nearly 500 car robberies have occurred, according to the City Council’s Crime Dashboard.
It’s a problem happening all over the country. Large cities such as Philadelphia, St. Louis, and Chicago have also seen spikes in auto thefts, especially those of Kia and Hyundai.
Interim New Orleans Police Chief Michelle Woodfork has stepped up patrols of hotspots for vandalism, including the Saints and Pelicans pregame parking lots. The city also plans to bring in police officers from outside the Orleans parish to supplement his NOPD along the parade route.
People we spoke with on Saturday night said the parade’s increased police presence made them feel safer, but if that doesn’t keep thieves away, there are other ways to stop them. I hope that
“Also, I hope everyone is just a little bit happier during Mardi Gras and that spirit drives them to not be,” Sarah Peters said as she walked toward the parade.
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