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New Orleans mayor under fire over obscene gesture captured along parade route
NEW ORLEANS - Mayor LaToya Cantrell is facing backlash over a candid moment that was caught on camera during a Mardi Gras parade over the weekend.
The video in question shows the mayor seemingly shouting "I love you" at a passing float before making an obscene gesture. The video was reportedly taken during the Krewe of Tucks parade, which rolled through New Orleans on Saturday.
WWL-TV asked the mayor's office for a response after the video started circulating and received the following statement Sunday.
"Mardi Gras is a time for satire and jest, all in good fun. The City has been enjoying a safe and healthy Carnival and is looking forward [to] continuing the celebration on Lundi Gras and Mardi Gras," said Gregory Joseph, the mayor's communications director.
While the full context of the video wasn't immediately clear, several krewes used their floats to take jabs at the mayor's recent controversies, including her first-class travel, use of a city-owned apartment and poor street conditions.
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