New Orleans Reopens Bourbon Street Ahead of Sugar Bowl, Boosts Security After Tragic Attack

As the city of New Orleans works toward returning to normal following the deadly terrorist attack on Bourbon Street that left over a dozen people dead, city officials have decided to reopen the iconic street ahead of the Sugar Bowl.

The incident occurred early on New Year’s Day at around 3:15 a.m. and involved driver Shamsud-Din Jabbar plowing a pickup truck into a crowd of people participating in the festivities. The FBI deemed the attack an “act of terrorism” after it was revealed that Jabbar was allegedly supported by ISIS, despite acting alone. As a result, the Sugar Bowl game scheduled for Wednesday night was postponed due to the severity of the situation. By Thursday, however, the city returned to its usual state of partying and socializing.

Mayor LaToya Cantrell confirmed that Bourbon Street would welcome guests back at 2:30 p.m. CT, ahead of Georgia and Notre Dame’s matchup at the Superdome. Despite concerns from visitors and residents, Cantrell reassured the public that the city was fully prepared to host the game and future events.

“The City of New Orleans is not only ready for game day today, but we’re ready to continue to host large-scale events in our city because we are built to host at every single turn,” Cantrell said.

New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell has announced that Bourbon Street will reopen before the Sugar Bowl just a day after a terrorist attack killed 14 people on New Year’s Day. Cantrell assured attendees and New Orleans residents that the city is taking safety precautions. pic.twitter.com/kNOhu7a21s

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She continued, “The FBI was able to clear Bourbon Street, and what that meant also for me and this city is that we were able to remove our victims, identify them, and notify their families. Real reverence. They mattered.”

Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry echoed Cantrell’s sentiments, adding, “The city will be back. We’re gonna enjoy ourselves. We’re gonna keep those who have lost loved ones in mind, and we’re gonna get onto the business of this city and this great country.”

Despite the show of resilience, some have criticized the decision to reopen Bourbon Street so quickly. Social media users voiced their displeasure, calling the move “money-hungry” and “a slap in the face” to the victims and their families.

“They keep stating that Bourbon Street will be back open to the community and tourists today, but why would anyone wanna party on a street where there was just a terrorist attack and 14 people died??!!!” one X (formerly Twitter) user wrote. Another added, “Very, very disrespectful to the families of the dead. Their blood swept away just minutes ago to make way for game day. Those city officials should be ashamed of themselves! People are now walking up and down Bourbon like nothing happened. Smh.”

To honor the victims of the tragic incident, a moment of silence is scheduled to take place before the National Anthem at the Sugar Bowl game.