Second-line clubs could face higher expenses with NOPD policy change
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The second-line community plans a protest on the steps of Gallier Hall Tuesday after, its leaders say, the New Orleans Police Department proposed new regulations that would make hosting its parades more expensive.
Why it matters: The disagreement presses on the bruise of what's long been described by some New Orleans' social aid and pleasure club members as a discrepancy between how they and the city's Mardi Gras krewes are treated.
Driving the news: At a recent meeting between NOPD and social aid and pleasure club leaders, NOPD proposed new regulations to require increased insurance for trolleys and floats, Askia Bennett of the Ole and Nu Style Fellas tells Axios New Orleans.
- Those requirements, Bennett says, would increase club expenses.
- Plus, he says, the suddenness with which they were shared, just a few weeks before the start of the 2025-2026 second-line season, means some clubs may not have time to comply.
- "You just threw beaucoup water on us," he says. "At least let me put my raincoat on."
What they're saying: "If you make [second-lines] more expensive, then it's more we're not going to be able to do," Bennett said. "Don't do that to the people who make New Orleans, New Orleans."
- "Don't do that to the culture."
The latest: Second-line leaders plan a protest at 3pm Tuesday at Gallier Hall, social media posts say. "Together, we will stand against the restrictions that threaten to stifle our beloved traditions," says a post on the Six Ward Steppers' Instagram.
- City Council in a statement called NOPD's proposed changes "unilaterally chosen" and "sudden," and is calling on representatives from NOPD and the second-line clubs to speak about the issue during its Thursday meeting.
Between the lines: Bennett says he believes the new insurance requirements were prompted by a party trolley crash that injured more than 20 people this summer.
The other side: NOPD said its "recent focus on utility trailers stems from community concerns and our obligation to ensure that all transportation for hire complies with existing safety regulations."
- The department aims to work "with all stakeholders to find solutions that protect the public while honoring our cultural traditions," a statement says.
In its own statement, the Office of Cultural Economy under Mayor LaToya Cantrell called the clubs' traditions "essential to our economic, spiritual, and communal well-being."
- "We are committed to ensuring that all parties work collaboratively toward a resolution that protects both the cultural integrity of the longstanding traditions and the safety and sustainability of all who participate."
Editor's note: This story has been updated with NOPD comments.