New Orleans protests consent decree termination by Trump’s DOJ, confront police outside of federal court hearing

New Orleans, LA – On Wednesday, November 19, a crowd of 30 people rallied outside of Loyola University Law School to protest a private court hearing on the termination of the federal consent decree over the New Orleans Police Department. After over a decade, this marked the end of federal oversight of the NOPD.

Protesters outside the court chanted loudly, at times reportedly drowning out the superintendent’s victory speeches inside the building. They held signs demanding no to termination, as well as a criminal justice committee meeting by City Council Member Oliver Thomas that could address the question of local police oversight.

“The DOJ said NOPD is violating our rights, that’s why we have this consent decree. It’s the only protection we have. And now they want to get rid of it and send Border Patrol and National Guard to our city!” said Sister Shanta Scott, a member of the New Orleans Alliance. Scott demanded justice for her son Jace Lee Scott, who was killed in 2019 by Andrew Gant, son of NOPD Officer Victor Gant. Scott continued, “No termination until community oversight is permanently in place!”

Protesters confronted NOPD leadership with condemnation as they left the hearing. As officers attempted to hold a press conference, chants of “No justice, no peace, no racist police!” drowned them out. As NOPD tried to leave, the angry crowd stopped one SUV in its tracks, surrounding it and forcing it to retreat backwards down the street.

The consent decree has been in place in New Orleans since 2012 after an FBI and DOJ investigation revealed a long list of constitutional violations by the NOPD. For over a decade, the decree has been a legally binding agreement between the city and the feds that demanded the New Orleans Police Department comply with constitutional policing, including a action on stop-and-frisk practices, car chases, documentation, use of force rates, and more.

In January 2025, Federal Judge Susie Morgan ruled that the New Orleans Police Department was still not in compliance with key benchmarks, such as use of force and racial bias. However, after pressure from the city, she still allowed the NOPD to move into sustainment. This “sustainment period” is a span of two years, where the NOPD must prove capable of maintaining reforms made under the decree.

But the sustainment period never happened. In October, Judge Morgan agreed to end the consent decree at the request of the Trump administration and the city. MAGA Governor Jeff Landry and State Attorney Liz Murrill also cheered on termination, as the Trump administration is slashing consent decrees across the U.S.

“We are here today saying it loud and clear that the community has never played a determinate role in this consent decree process,” said New Orleans Alliance Chair Toni Jones. “We want community control of the police – that is what we need to keep these officers in their place. And we will not stop fighting until we get it.”

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