Flanked by tow trucks outside NOPD headquarters Thursday, federal, state and local law enforcement officials issued a stern warning to anyone planning to participate in or watch an “illegal street takeover event” this weekend.
“If you engage in this type of foolishness, you have a very good chance that you will be charged criminally,” NOPD superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick said. “You see these tow trucks out here, and they’re here for a reason. We will indeed take your vehicles.”
Kirkpatrick said this weekend’s planned “sideshow” or “burnout” events have been promoted on social media and are expected to take place across the city. Unlike the Gumball 3000 international car rally, which will bring a display of classic and high-performance vehicles to Bourbon Street on Saturday, the sideshow events involve illegal takeovers of public roadways, where drivers block intersections, perform doughnuts and race through city streets.
“We’d love for you to show us your cars,” Kirkpatrick said. “But we are not going to let you create chaos, and that’s what these particular types of … events are.”…