To Mayor Sandy Stimpson, Mobile City Council, and applicable Mardi Gras parading organizations:
We are Mobilians and visitors who seek to have a safer and more family-friendly Mardi Gras in Mobile, Alabama. This year (2022), and in past years as well, too many people have been hurt by the throws. There are countless stories of boxes being thrown at crowds, big bags of beans hurled forcefully, and more. These occurrences are discouraging people from returning to Mobile, thus hurting our cities' finances and reputation. We would love to see solutions being enforced to prevent this from happening and hold any disobeying organization accountable. Below are some suggestions to have the "Safest Mardi Gras" on the Gulf Coast:
- Have a designated inspector check each float before they roll to ensure that there are absolutely no boxes.
- Beads must not be in bags, or thrown in bags.
- All throws must be in large bags.
- Enforce the municipal code (Chapter 49, Article III, Section 49-57 (6)) that says: "The conduct of the parade is not reasonably likely to cause injury to persons or property, to provoke disorderly conduct or create a disturbance"
- Hefty fines for organizations and members who do not follow these rules.
- Publicize tools to help attendees report incidents.
- Have a weight limit on throws.
- Keep track of fined organizations and make them public. This may be extreme, but after so many strikes, consider banning them from future parades.
- "Earlier today I was knocked unconscious in front of a place I like to frequent, by a bag of beads that were thrown at me at 1000 mpg from the very last float this afternoon." - Mike B.
- "I dodged a bag of beads on the corner of Government and Royal then got his square in the chest by a box of cookies and I was back aways." - Debbie K,
- "A very similar thing happened to me Saturday night in Mobile. I think I have a broken bone in my face. I'm not sure what the answer is. This isn't safe." - Janet L.
- "On Joe Cain day there was a particular float trying to take our head off." - Niichole H.
- "My cousin was hit in the face by a box of moon pies that someone threw hard and fast. Her face is swollen and bruised. She had a headache for the rest of the day." - Jessica I
- "And this is why I don't go to Mardi Gras" - Cynthia N.
There are many more stories like these. There is a Mobile City Ordinance (Chapter 49, Article III, Section 49-57, part 6) that says: The conduct of the parade is not reasonably likely to cause injury to persons or property, to provoke disorderly conduct or create a disturbance". Please enforce this ordinance in any possible way.
Mobile Mardi Gras should be as such as to where everyone who attends wants to come back, and for them to invite others. If there are things we can do to help ensure that, then let's do them. We are born to celebrate. Let's help people celebrate safely.
Updates
March 8, 2022
I am currently preparing a formal letter to the City Council outlining our specific mandate for float inspections and weight limits on throws. Several local journalists have requested further details on the reported injuries, and I am gathering documentation to present to them this week.
March 8, 2022
The current level of public interest has prompted a meeting request from the City Council office. I have forwarded our list of proposed safety amendments to their staff and expect a formal review of the municipal code to begin next week.
Reached 100 supporters
March 8, 2022
51 Comments
I actually got hit in the head by a bundle of heavy unseparated beads on year. This year it was a swollen knuckle from a bundle of beads. They are throwing way too hard and I've seen children get hit hard enough with throws to make them cry.
I was hit in the face last may at the parade for the commissionings parade for the USS Mobile. The last float in the parade and the guy on top back of the float threw a large garbage bad full of stuff and hit me. I was treated at the scene at St Francis and st. Joseph's and had to be carried to hospital be of possible stroke and concussion.
I want to be able to go to Mardi Gras while feeling safe for both me and my friends. As a college student, I can't guarantee my friends won't get hurt, so we leave town for our Mardi Gras break to have fun elsewhere, and I'd like that to change if the mandates change.
No boxes or bags of stuff, please. It’s unnecessary. Separate beads and throw one or two at a time. The golden rule. If you don’t want your child smacked in the head with a fist full of beads then don’t smack other people‘s kids in the head with fistfuls of beads
Yeah saw a kid (maybe 4-5 years old) get hit by someone throwing a moon pie box like a football. They waited until they moved past us and looking at the marching band behind them before they threw it. Come to find out the box was filled with tokens, empty beer cans, and Ramen noodles. Impressive throw, terrible outcome.
make mardi gras safe again
I don't come downtown, to Mardi Gras, anymore, for fear of being injured!
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To Mayor Sandy Stimpson, Mobile City Council, and applicable Mardi Gras parading organizations:
We are Mobilians and visitors who seek to have a safer and more family-friendly Mardi Gras in Mobile, Alabama. This year (2022), and in past years as well, too many people have been hurt by the throws. There are countless stories of boxes being thrown at crowds, big bags of beans hurled forcefully, and more. These occurrences are discouraging people from returning to Mobile, thus hurting our cities' finances and reputation. We would love to see solutions being enforced to prevent this from happening and hold any disobeying organization accountable. Below are some suggestions to have the "Safest Mardi Gras" on the Gulf Coast:
- Have a designated inspector check each float before they roll to ensure that there are absolutely no boxes.
- Beads must not be in bags, or thrown in bags.
- All throws must be in large bags.
- Enforce the municipal code (Chapter 49, Article III, Section 49-57 (6)) that says: "The conduct of the parade is not reasonably likely to cause injury to persons or property, to provoke disorderly conduct or create a disturbance"
- Hefty fines for organizations and members who do not follow these rules.
- Publicize tools to help attendees report incidents.
- Have a weight limit on throws.
- Keep track of fined organizations and make them public. This may be extreme, but after so many strikes, consider banning them from future parades.
- "Earlier today I was knocked unconscious in front of a place I like to frequent, by a bag of beads that were thrown at me at 1000 mpg from the very last float this afternoon." - Mike B.
- "I dodged a bag of beads on the corner of Government and Royal then got his square in the chest by a box of cookies and I was back aways." - Debbie K,
- "A very similar thing happened to me Saturday night in Mobile. I think I have a broken bone in my face. I'm not sure what the answer is. This isn't safe." - Janet L.
- "On Joe Cain day there was a particular float trying to take our head off." - Niichole H.
- "My cousin was hit in the face by a box of moon pies that someone threw hard and fast. Her face is swollen and bruised. She had a headache for the rest of the day." - Jessica I
- "And this is why I don't go to Mardi Gras" - Cynthia N.
There are many more stories like these. There is a Mobile City Ordinance (Chapter 49, Article III, Section 49-57, part 6) that says: The conduct of the parade is not reasonably likely to cause injury to persons or property, to provoke disorderly conduct or create a disturbance". Please enforce this ordinance in any possible way.
Mobile Mardi Gras should be as such as to where everyone who attends wants to come back, and for them to invite others. If there are things we can do to help ensure that, then let's do them. We are born to celebrate. Let's help people celebrate safely.
Updates
March 8, 2022
I am currently preparing a formal letter to the City Council outlining our specific mandate for float inspections and weight limits on throws. Several local journalists have requested further details on the reported injuries, and I am gathering documentation to present to them this week.
March 8, 2022
The current level of public interest has prompted a meeting request from the City Council office. I have forwarded our list of proposed safety amendments to their staff and expect a formal review of the municipal code to begin next week.
Reached 100 supporters
March 8, 2022
51 Comments
Getting hit by throws is 100% why I no longer attend Mardi Gras. The beautiful floats and good cheer are not enough to overcome hesitation.
I actually got hit in the head by a bundle of heavy unseparated beads on year. This year it was a swollen knuckle from a bundle of beads. They are throwing way too hard and I've seen children get hit hard enough with throws to make them cry.
I was hit in the face last may at the parade for the commissionings parade for the USS Mobile. The last float in the parade and the guy on top back of the float threw a large garbage bad full of stuff and hit me. I was treated at the scene at St Francis and st. Joseph's and had to be carried to hospital be of possible stroke and concussion.
I want to be able to go to Mardi Gras while feeling safe for both me and my friends. As a college student, I can't guarantee my friends won't get hurt, so we leave town for our Mardi Gras break to have fun elsewhere, and I'd like that to change if the mandates change.
No boxes or bags of stuff, please. It’s unnecessary. Separate beads and throw one or two at a time. The golden rule. If you don’t want your child smacked in the head with a fist full of beads then don’t smack other people‘s kids in the head with fistfuls of beads
Yeah saw a kid (maybe 4-5 years old) get hit by someone throwing a moon pie box like a football. They waited until they moved past us and looking at the marching band behind them before they threw it. Come to find out the box was filled with tokens, empty beer cans, and Ramen noodles. Impressive throw, terrible outcome.
make mardi gras safe again
I don't come downtown, to Mardi Gras, anymore, for fear of being injured!
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Getting hit by throws is 100% why I no longer attend Mardi Gras. The beautiful floats and good cheer are not enough to overcome hesitation.