New Orleans Mayor Cantrell and the NOPD have shut down young Black musicians trying to survive by playing in the streets of the Quarter. The city fines residents $500 for going maskless in the Quarter. But a mainly white, right-wing, illegal concert at Jackson Square is apparently not a problem. Anyone truly religious and caring for others does not encourage mass church or tight, maskless street gatherings which will spread COVID-19 and death. These “preachers” and “Christian” bands only want to get their money collections and fame.
DJ Soul Sister put it best: “HOW in the hell does this happen in New Orleans in the middle of a pandemic, not a mask nor social distanced space in sight? Who allows this kind of thing, and how, and WHY???? Also, last I was told, OUR New Orleans musicians, whose historic culture created the foundation for American popular music, are still not allowed to perform en masse (or even minimally) in OUR city…We can’t do our New Orleans things. And we are following the rules so that we are in compliance in order to keep ourselves and others safe as we move towards ending the pandemic with science.”