The New Orleans City Council voted 7-0 Thursday to revoke the parade permit for the Mystic Krewe of Nyx.
The krewe once boasted more than 3,400 members. Then a social media post from its founder during the Black Lives Matters protests taking place around the country in the wake of the George Floyd murder ignited controversy, and soon those members left the krewe, many forming new Mardi Gras krewes.
The "All Lives Matter" post on Julie Lea's Instagram came off as dismissive of the nationwide movement. Despite Lea's apology and an offer of a three-point reconciliation plan, members continued to quit.
As the membership plummeted, the krewe also had trouble maintaining other minimum requirements set in the city's Mardi Gras ordinance.
New Orleans City Council Vice President J.P. Morrell said the krewe fell short of the required number of marching bands, and the krewe soliciting new members via parade throws violated the ordinance's prohibition on commercial activity by parade krewes.
Nyx attorney Doug Sunseri argued that the violations were not willfull and revoking the permit was too harsh a penalty.
His request for the council to delay the vote another 30 days while Lea stepped aside as krewe captain and new leadership took over was rejected without comment.
"Disappointed but not surprised,” Sunseri told WWL First News afterward. “Ultimately, believe that Julie Lea was canceled because she made a one-time alternative expression on a social issue viewed through the lens of an ex-NOPD officer. Believe the vote was simply to score cheap political points with certain constituencies in Orleans Parish."
During the meeting, Morrell denied politics played any role in the council’s decision.
The action by the council leaves Druids as the only parade on the Wednesday night before Fat Tuesday. Morrell has suggested moving Druids to another night and ending parades on Wednesday, to prevent city resources from being stretched too thin.
The new krewes formed from Nyx's departed members, Themis and Phoenix, ride in floats that roll as part of other parades; the Krewe of Freret and the Knights of Sparta, respectively.
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