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Outrage after New Orleans mayor LaToya Cantrell seen partying maskless after her own mask ban

Video posted online showed New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell singing karaoke maskless and disobeying her own mask ban at an indoor Mardi Gras ball.

New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell disobeyed her own mask ban at an indoor Mardi Gras ball on Friday (February 18). In 100 short videos taken at the mayor's Mardi Gras Ball at Gallier Hall, Cantrell was caught singing karaoke maskless with two other maskless women. The videos were posted online but were later removed less than an hour after the mayor's office was questioned about the photos. According to the report, none of the partygoers are seen wearing masks in any of the 360-degree photo booth videos from the event. Cantrell's mask-free bash comes a month after she reinstated the city's indoor mask requirement for indoor public settings on January 11.

Social media was quick to react as many people slammed the mayor for disobeying her own mask ban. One person wrote, “another liberal do as I say not as I do. I’m better than you Peons.” Another wrote, “the mayor of New Orleans just gave her city the middle finger.” “Keeping School Kids Muzzled: Hypocrite Democrat New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell held a maskless ball Friday night after reimposing the city’s mask mandate at least through Mardi Gras on March 1. 🤬” another remarked. 

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The city's mask mandate and vaccination-or-test requirement, which requires people over the age of 5 to show proof of vaccination or a negative Covid-19 test taken within the previous 72 hours to enter most businesses, will remain in effect until Mardi Gras Day on March 1, according to a spokesman for the mayor. Cantrell's appearance without a mask comes just days after the Louisiana Supreme Court denied a request for a temporary restraining order and an expedited hearing in a lawsuit challenging the city's mask and vaccine mandates. More than 100 plaintiffs filed the request, claiming that the mandates infringe on their constitutional rights.

According to Fox News, the mayor's spokesman Beau Tidwell said, “the mask guidelines and the vaccination requirement will remain in effect thru Mardi Gras. That has not changed and it will not change. Under the current guidelines, masks may be removed indoors while eating and drinking. While we did not see perfect adoption of the guidelines in every instance over the weekend, we were encouraged overall by the level of masking and vigilance we saw on the parade route and at ball events.”