New Orleans Mayor LaToya Catrell was seen wearing no mask at an indoor Mardi Gras party Friday night. This was despite the fact that COVID-19 has been reinstated for indoor public spaces and schools in New Orleans just weeks ago.
After Fox News’ Monday inquiries, one hundred videos of the Mayor’s Mardi Gras Ball at Gallier Hall have been posted online. These 360-degree photos were taken of Cantrell and two other women singing karaoke without masks.
The videos were not made by any person wearing a protective mask. They were removed less than an hour after Fox News asked Cantrell for comment.
This event follows Cantrell’s reinstatement of the indoor mask mandate in the city for all indoor public settings including schools. It is still in force through Mardi Gras Day.
Beau Tidwell, Cantrell’s spokesperson, stated that the guidelines were not always followed in all instances.
He stated that the Mardi gras vaccination requirements and mask guidelines will continue to be in force. It has not changed, and it will not. The current guidelines allow masks to be removed indoors when eating or drinking. Although we didn’t see complete compliance with the guidelines every time, the overall level of masking and vigilance seen at the ball events and on parade route were encouraging.”
Last week, the Louisiana Supreme Court denied requests for a temporary hearing and a restraining order in a lawsuit challenging Cantrell’s mask mandate and vaccine mandate. This mandate requires that children older than five years old show proof of vaccination to be allowed to enter most businesses.
More than 100 plaintiffs sued the mayor, New Orleans Health Department and Dr. Jennifer Avegno for violating their constitutional rights.
“We are pleased to see the people in New Orleans finally able return to normal and enjoy Mardi Gras,” Laura Cannizzaro Rodrigue (a partner at Rodrigue & Arcuri in New Orleans) said in a statement to Fox News. This is what we’ve been advocating. We are disgusted to see so-called city leaders violating the mask mandate throughout carnival season while insisting that children and ordinary citizens remain masked. This hypocrisy will not be tolerated. Our state legislature’s silence is deafening. We are here for you.
Rodrigue & Arcuri filed the complaint on behalf of over 100 plaintiffs. Jimmy Faircloth, Faircloth, Sobel & Bash LLC, filed the complaint on behalf of them.
Beau Tidwell, Cantrell’s spokesperson, has not commented on this lawsuit but stated on February 1 that “the guidelines” he had put in place saved lives.
