A Louisiana judge has temporarily blocked Gov. Jeff Landry’s efforts to clear any more homeless encampments in New Orleans after relocating dozens of people living in tents near the Superdome, where Taylor Swift was playing three shows over the weekend.
Landry used Louisiana State Troopers and Department of Wildlife and Fisheries officers to relocate about 75 people living in tents beneath an overpass near the venue just days before the pop star’s performances attracted an estimated 150,000 people to the city.
Some homeless people who were forced to relocate during the sweep, however, filed a lawsuit arguing that state troopers violated their constitutional rights by illegally searching, seizing and destroying their property, disposing of their prized possessions and “forcibly herding” them away.
One legal observer even heard state troopers telling the homeless that “the governor wants you to move because of the Taylor Swift concert,” the lawsuit alleges.
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In response to the lawsuit, Judge Lori Jupiter granted a temporary restraining order on Friday. The order, in effect until Nov. 4, directs state law enforcement officials to not “destroy or dispose of the property of unhoused people without judicial process” and to notify people in the “state-sanctioned camp” that they are “free to leave.”
Landry’s orders relocated about 75 people who were living in a tent encampment on Calliope Street under the Pontchartrain Expressway roughly two blocks away, Louisiana State Police said.
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Landry’s spokeswoman, Kate Kelly, issued a statement to local media saying the move was meant to address homelessness and safety issues in preparation for the upcoming Taylor Swift concerts on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and February’s Super Bowl.
“As we prepare for the city to host Taylor Swift and Super Bowl LIX, we are committed to ensuring New Orleans puts its best foot forward when on the world stage,” Kelly said.
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Officials in New Orleans, however, criticized the sweep, arguing it would disrupt progress in finding long-term, permanent housing for those affected.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
