Barricades were returned to New Orleans' Bourbon Street before Thursday night's Sugar Bowl, but Louisiana Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser told Newsmax he's still angry that the bollards were removed on New Year's Eve, giving terror suspect Shamsud-Din Jabbar "free rein" to plow into a crowd of revelers Wednesday.
"My frustration has grown over the last eight years as lieutenant governor, trying to fight to make the [French Quarter] the best it can be," Nungesser told Newsmax's "Wake Up America." "It's no secret: The governor had to step in and put state police in there, and he's done a great job of the state police work with New Orleans Police to make it safer with new cameras and things."
But still, there was "no excuse" that there were not some kinds of barriers at every block on Bourbon Street, particularly with the crowds that turn out for New Year's Eve, said Nungesser.
"I want to continue to pray for the families and those recovering, but, you know, to not put something in place to limit that from having free rein down Bourbon Street, it angers me," he said.
He added that he wished he had known more early on about the danger.
"I also run the museums on Jackson Square, and it's been a fight to get those replaced that were damaged, that protect Jackson Square," Nungesser said. "I'll be going down there today to look at those areas as well and, hopefully, get some things put in place there as well. I'm sure the governor is really leaning forward on this and is going to make sure everything is done to make the Quarter as safe as it possibly can be."
Meanwhile, the Super Bowl is just around the corner, and the lieutenant governor said he has "all the confidence in the law enforcement, all the agencies," and Gov. Jeff Landry to keep the event safe.
"Seeing the governor on TV yesterday, knowing he will lean forward — much like he did with putting the state police in the Quarter, putting up new crime cameras — I am 100% confident he will intervene and make sure every avenue is covered and protected for the Super Bowl and go beyond the call of duty to make sure that's done," said Nungesser.
But still, it's "unfortunate" that Wednesday's attack happened, and it took that to realize New Orleans' city leadership is "not doing its job and doing everything possible to make the Quarter safe," he said.
"It's heavy on my heart that this incident happened, and just thinking that we could have done more to minimize the damage," Nungesser added.
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Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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