Chaos ensued on the Pontchartrain Expressway as local law enforcement fired tear gas and rubber bullets into a crowd of protesters Wednesday night. At approximately 9:30 p.m., demonstrators made their way up a ramp near Camp Street in New Orleans. With police officers waiting at the Crescent City Connection, protesters came face to face with authorities. As the interaction hit a fever pitch, officers fired tear gas in to the crowd. In a frenzy, protesters began racing back in one direction off the ramp.
“The police just shot tear gas onto the overpass almost causing a stampede. [I] saw people nearly pushed off the edge. [It was] completely safe night until right now,” Michael Issac Stein of The Lens tweeted.
Protestors rally, trying to approach the NOPD line on the CCC. Officers respond with more tear gas pic.twitter.com/0BC79K62iP
— Chris McCrory (@ckm_news) June 4, 2020
After the tear gas and rubber bullets were fired, crowds began to run back in a panic. With only one way to exit, the scene instantaneously became a stampede. It is still unclear how many, if any, people were seriously injured.
This situation is still developing. We will add more detail to this report as this story develops.
The NOPD threw tear gas at a peaceful protest. Is this what democracy looks like? #neworleansprotest #blm #blacklivesmatterprotest #nopd pic.twitter.com/eB9rVjtP14
— Dahlia Dolorosa (@DahliaDolorosa) June 4, 2020
