The people of New Orleans have been enjoying a variety of Mardi Gras festivities over the weekend. On Saturday, the Krewe of Tucks parade took place in New Orleans, Louisiana. Many people living in and visiting the area were looking to have a great time. However, that was instantly disrupted when a blatantly and horrifically racist float made its way into the parade. People noticed what looked wrong with the picture right off the bat – including Mayor Helena Moreno.
The float, which was clearly meant to be offensive, made its way through New Orleans in a video posted by @cbsnews. A bunch of white men in work outfits man the float, which displayed the words “Crack Pipe” on the side of it. It has since been said that the float was calling out the crumbling sewers in New Orleans. But what really caught people’s attention and made jaws drop is what the crew members were seen doing. In the video, you see a float member dangle a black Barbie doll over the side of the float, hanging by beads around her neck. It’s a disturbing display that should have never made its way into this parade.
It wasn’t long before members of the community called out the float for being a hate crime. Mayor Moreno stated about the matter, “Let me be clear: The display is deeply offensive, unacceptable, and has no place in our city.” She went on to add, “Our celebrations, particularly those where our children and families attend, should be places of joy and unity, not exposure to hateful or harmful imagery.” This is not at all what New Orleans stands for and should be rejected at every turn. As of now, the mayor and her team are expected to investigate the incident in full.
There was a mix of booing and cheering heard from the audience as the float drove through the street. It’s clear that many people are divided on how to feel about this. However, one thing is true: It’s entirely racist and disrespectful on a whole new level. CBS says that The Krewe of Tucks has since issued an apology for their float. According to a Facebook post, they called these actions “intolerable” and said that they’ll be investigating the incident as well.
One commenter stated, “This is an example of Trump’s America. Disgusting absolutely disgusting.” Another commenter added, “If you don’t see the issue here, pay more attention to history.”
