When the paramedics arrived, many Mardi Gras Indians in the room rose their voices in a slow and steady rendition of Indian Red.

The next slated speaker was Chief Pepe-tan, who called for all the Mardi Gras Indian Chiefs to rise. They stood in the crowd and then made their way forward to surround the podium. They asked for the “Godfather of the Chiefs,” the Chief of Chiefs, Chief Allison ‘Tootie’ Montana was called forth to speak. With 83 years under his belt, this man came to the podium and reviewed interactions with the police over the past 52 years he’s been involved. Tootie astutely blew holes in all of Mayor Nagin’s exhortations by describing the police violence he has seen and experienced over his many years as Chief of the Yellow Pocahontas Tribe. He spoke about police tightening their billy-club straps as the Indians approached and his tribe’s strategy of simply walking through lines of police attempting to block their path. He spoke about a cop repeatedly trying to swing a club at his 10 year-old relative’s head and the young boy just barely missing a brutal skull injury. His last words were “This has got to stop,” and he turned from the podium, slumping towards the floor.