Mardi Gras: the aftermath

As much as I liked the Mardi Gras parade, I've got to also report on the aftermath, which wasn't pretty. The streets along the parade route turned into a sea of broken bottles and broken costumes:


Many people who had brought along milk crates to stand on for a better view simply abandoned them in the street:


And the police, faced with a sea of yobs drunk and loutish to an almost British degree, reacted in kind. Twice on the way from the parade to the hotel, we encountered lines of mounted officers forming up, seemingly prepared to charge and clear the streets by force. It was all a bit scary and we left as soon as we could.

The next day, Sunday, a sign went up at the entrance to the neighborhood:


A bit too late, if you ask me.