You're on your own, Britain's victims told (E Tu Brute?)

The Guardian Unlimited ^ | 9/4/05 | Mark Townsend

[Tacis]

There was a simple failure to communicate here. When the New Orleans police told the Brits they'd have to fend for themselves, that was nothing more than a demand for a bribe in order to get help. The Brits that gave the cops bribes got out but those that didn't, didn't. These are corrupt, incompentent cops, related to or paying some politician.

I've not seen it a second time but when cable to air anything they could get, they did an interview with a near hysterical cops who accused his fellow New Orleans cops of being traitors and claimed that more than a third had simply desserted in the face of the storm. No, the Brits should have offered a "gratuity" just like they would if they wanted to avoid a police hassle at Mardi Gras.

[Just Lori]

C'mon! How ridiculous are some of these charges going to get??

As ridiculous as the morons who make them.

[IronJack]

As ridiculous as the morons who make them.

Then I guess we've got worse in store.

[fso301]

And if the accusation is accurate?

There have been prior FR threads of British tourists receiving preferential treatment. BBC and Mirror both ran such articles.

[festus]

And if the accusation is accurate?

If its accurate then it explains why they later tried to move the brits and others to the head of the line at the dome. Just more and more examples of complete lack of brains from teh governor on down.

[Canard]

This was already known when the evacuation was ordered, that tourists wouldn't be able to leave.

http://www.nola.com/newsflash/louisiana/index.ssf?/base/news-18/1125239940201382.xml&storylist=louisiana

"Acknowledging that large numbers of people, many of them stranded tourists, would be unable to leave, the city set up 10 places of last resort for people to go, including the Superdome.

The mayor called the order unprecedented and said anyone who could leave the city should. He exempted hotels from the evacuation order because airlines had already cancelled all flights."

[Truthsayer20]

My guess is that these people will not set foot on US again.

[Doe Eyes]

Scott explained how they earlier ransacked the hotel kitchens for food

Looters.

[lastchance]

I have to ask. Since when are N.O police U.S. officials? Also at least the British are in hotels. I am wary of the whole story as it seems to some holes in it.

[propertius]

London Times had same story

[propertius]

et tu brute, shurely?