Rape, crack, urine, shit, bodies...what a vacation...

www.mirror.co.uk/news/tm_objectid=15922236%26method=full%26siteid=94762%26headline=exclusive%2d%2dbrits%2d%2dhell%2dinside%2dthe%2dterror%2ddome-name_page.html

EXCLUSIVE: BRITS' HELL INSIDE THE TERROR DOME
British students, Sarah Yorston, Jane Wheeldon, Jamie Trout, Marisa Haigh
TERRIFIED British students tell of dead bodies, rape, crack, gunshots, filth and a sickening stench filling the thick air.
From Ryan Parry, Us Correspondent, Inside The New Orleans Superdome

BRITISH students told yesterday how they stepped out of the horror of Hurricane Katrina into the hell of their Superdome "shelter".

A place of refuge became a terrifying trap, where knives and guns, crack cocaine use, threats of violence and racial abuse were rife.

Jamie Trout, 22, who kept a record of his four days there, said: "It was like something out of Lord of the Flies - one minute everything is calm and civil, the next it descends into chaos."

In one diary entry, he said: "A man has been arrested for raping a seven-year-old in the toilet, this place is hell, I feel sick. The smell is horrendous, there are toilets overflowing and people everywhere."

As the evacuation of the 70,000- capacity arena continued yesterday, the swamped city of New Orleans descended into near barbarism.

The looting and carjacking of recent days showed no sign of slowing. Gunfire was aimed at police and helicopters attempting to ferry the sick from hospitals, accompanied by shouts of: "You better come get my family."

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Ten thousand National Guardsmen were sent in from across the US to the flood-ravaged Gulf coast.

At least seven bodies lay unclaimed in the streets around the New Orleans Convention Centre - one a woman in a wheelchair covered by a blanket.

Daniel Edwards, 47, pointed at her and said: "I don't treat my dog like that...I buried my dog."

Amid criticism of government inaction, he added: "You can do everything for other countries but you can't do nothing for your own people.

"You can go overseas with the military but you can't get them down here."

Thousands of storm refugees massed outside the convention building, waiting for buses that never came. They had no food, water or medicines.

The Rev Issac Clark, 68, said: "We are out here like pure animals. We don't have help."

In what may be America's worst natural disaster for a century, 80 per cent of a city of 500,000 people was under water up to 20ft deep. Thousands could be dead.

At the Superdome, at least 25,000 people were moved out yesterday as New Orleans Mayor Nagin vowed: "Come hell or high water we will evacuate people today, I'll march them out if I have to." Soldiers with M16 assault rifles and grenade launchers tried to control crowds desperate to get out.

At least one person died in the arms of a soldier. A National Guardsman was wounded in the leg by his own gun in a struggle with two men and a military helicopter was shot at while ferrying away a casualty.

Brit diary-writer Jamie had been coaching football to disabled children as part of the Camp America scheme.

Jamie, who was with two friends, said: "We were in Miami for three or four days when Katrina first hit.

"We rode that storm out and then decided to go to New Orleans. We didn't realise the storm was heading that way."

He said of his eventual Superdome refuge: "There was a lot of heat from the people in there, people shouting racial abuse about us being white.

"The army warned us to keep our bags close to us and to grip them tight."

Jamie, an economics student from Sunderland, said he saw crack cocaine being used in the filthy toilets, youngsters breaking into soft drink machines and men brawling. Urine and excrement spilled into corridors where they were sleeping.

At one point, up to 30 British students gathered in the dome were so terrified of attack when the power went down that they set up a makeshift security cordon.

Zoe Smith, 21, from Hull, said: "All us girls sat in the middle while the boys sat on the outside, with chairs as protection.

"We were absolutely terrified, the situation had descended into chaos, people were very hostile and the living conditions were horrendous.

"We had to wash with tiny bottles of water, the sink was blocked and full of gunk. Even when we offered to help with the cleaning, the locals gave us abuse."

Some students said they saw an 18-inch knife confiscated from one man and many others had guns and other weapons.

Marisa Haigh, 23, from Guildford, who is studying at Birmingham University, and Claire Watkins, 23, a student from Bradford, had arrived in New Orleans last Saturday after a trip across the US.

Claire said: "We went out drinking on Saturday night and had an awesome time.

"On Sunday we had hangovers and hadn't heard or read anything about the hurricane coming in. We only realised there was something wrong when we went out in the street and no one was around, everywhere was shut or boarded up."

They were in the Superdome when Katrina hit. Marisa said: "There was a series of almighty bangs when the roof went and a panel flew off.

"There was a woman screaming, 'We're gonna die, we're all gonna die'."

Eventually many of the students were moved to the nearby basketball arena, thanks to Sgt Garland Ogden, a full-timer with the National Guard.

Jane Wheeldon, 20, said: "He went against a lot of rules to get us moved."

Yesterday Texas was ready to house 50,000 flood refugees - 25,000 of them in the Houston Astrodome, 350 miles away. The rest will go to San Antonio.

Rescue in some areas was suspended as looters ran amok.

Coast Guard Lt Cmdr Cheri Ben-Iesan said at emergency HQ: "Hospitals are trying to evacuate. At every one of them, there are reports that as the helicopters come in people are shooting at them, telling them, 'You better come get my family'. City leader Mitch Landrieu toured stricken areas and was besieged by rescued people begging him to pass information to their families.

His pocket was full of scraps of paper on which he had scribbled down their phone numbers.

He contacted a woman whose father had been saved and told her: "Your daddy's alive, and he said to tell you he loves you."

Landrieu added: "She just started crying. She said, 'I thought he was dead'."

In Britain, worried relatives of the Superdome students were told by the Mirror their loved ones were safe.

From details given to our reporters at the scene, we passed on messages to families nationwide.

Zoe Smith's mother Sharon said in Hull: "That's brilliant. It's been horrendous not knowing what on earth has happened to her. I have barely slept."

Fine art publisher Janet Murray, 55, from Frome, Somerset, whose daughter Hannah was stranded, said: "I had not heard anything, thanks so much for letting me know."

Fox interviewed a couple of these kids as they stood in line on Sunday waiting to get in the Super Dome. They were all smiles and were confident that the Govt. had things under control. I just thought "you people have no idea what you are in for".

Quoted: Marisa Haigh, 23, from Guildford, who is studying at Birmingham University, and Claire Watkins, 23, a student from Bradford, had arrived in New Orleans last Saturday after a trip across the US. Claire said: "We went out drinking on Saturday night and had an awesome time. "On Sunday we had hangovers and hadn't heard or read anything about the hurricane coming in. We only realised there was something wrong when we went out in the street and no one was around, everywhere was shut or boarded up."

Quoted: Quoted: Marisa Haigh, 23, from Guildford, who is studying at Birmingham University, and Claire Watkins, 23, a student from Bradford, had arrived in New Orleans last Saturday after a trip across the US. Claire said: "We went out drinking on Saturday night and had an awesome time. "On Sunday we had hangovers and hadn't heard or read anything about the hurricane coming in. We only realised there was something wrong when we went out in the street and no one was around, everywhere was shut or boarded up."

they dont' get tropical cyclones in england.  these people arn't not familar with the local culture, that is all.  

Eventually many of the students were moved to the nearby basketball arena, thanks to Sgt Garland Ogden, a full-timer with the National Guard. Jane Wheeldon, 20, said: "He went against a lot of rules to get us moved."

Thank God there are some heroes left somewhere.  

Quoted: Fox interviewed a couple of these kids as they stood in line on Sunday waiting to get in the Super Dome. They were all smiles and were confident that the Govt. had things under control. I just thought "you people have no idea what you are in for".

They were probably wondering when the tea would be served...

Quoted: Marisa Haigh, 23, from Guildford, who is studying at Birmingham University, and Claire Watkins, 23, a student from Bradford, had arrived in New Orleans last Saturday after a trip across the US. Claire said: "We went out drinking on Saturday night and had an awesome time. "On Sunday we had hangovers and hadn't heard or read anything about the hurricane coming in. We only realised there was something wrong when we went out in the street and no one was around, everywhere was shut or boarded up."

Well, that right there explains a lot.

The people who are constantly oblivious to their surroundings are likely going to be the first to die or suffer in times of crisis.

But being oblivious doesn't even describe these people. They seem completely brain dead.

Quoted: A place of refuge became a terrifying trap, where knives and guns, crack cocaine use, threats of violence and racial abuse were rife. He said of his eventual Superdome refuge: "There was a lot of heat from the people in there, people shouting racial abuse about us being white. "We had to wash with tiny bottles of water, the sink was blocked and full of gunk. Even when we offered to help with the cleaning, the locals gave us abuse."

And here I thought that only white people were racist

At least one person died in the arms of a soldier. A National Guardsman was wounded in the leg by his own gun in a struggle with two men and a military helicopter was shot at while ferrying away a casualty.

Was he professional enough to handle his M16?

Quoted: Jamie, who was with two friends, said: "We were in Miami for three or four days when Katrina first hit. "We rode that storm out and then decided to go to New Orleans. We didn't realise the storm was heading that way."

Wow, they got hit by Katrina twice. Talk about lack of situational awareness.

Quoted: Quoted: A place of refuge became a terrifying trap, where knives and guns, crack cocaine use, threats of violence and racial abuse were rife. He said of his eventual Superdome refuge: "There was a lot of heat from the people in there, people shouting racial abuse about us being white. "We had to wash with tiny bottles of water, the sink was blocked and full of gunk. Even when we offered to help with the cleaning, the locals gave us abuse." And here I thought that only white people were racist

they are, these people were obviously "projecting" their own racism

Quoted: Quoted: Jamie, who was with two friends, said: "We were in Miami for three or four days when Katrina first hit. "We rode that storm out and then decided to go to New Orleans. We didn't realise the storm was heading that way." Wow, they got hit by Katrina twice. Talk about lack of situational awareness.

Wow, and they're complaining

I have to run, but as a tidbit...


Students in general have been treated MUCH better than the average scum down there.

And I, for one, think highly of those involved for stepping up to the plate and helping those in society worth helping.


Every bit counts... and crackheads arent worth it at this point.

- BG

Quoted: Quoted: A place of refuge became a terrifying trap, where knives and guns, crack cocaine use, threats of violence and racial abuse were rife. He said of his eventual Superdome refuge: "There was a lot of heat from the people in there, people shouting racial abuse about us being white. "We had to wash with tiny bottles of water, the sink was blocked and full of gunk. Even when we offered to help with the cleaning, the locals gave us abuse." And here I thought that only white people were racist

Yeah, most do not want to hear that the blacks are the most racist people in the world.......oh I guess they have that right

Quoted: Yeah, most do not want to hear that the blacks are the most racist people in the world.......oh I guess they have that right

I can vouch for what you said...and I am non-white and non-Caucasian for that matter.  

Generally, blacks in America are the most racist and most uncivil in the world.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: A place of refuge became a terrifying trap, where knives and guns, crack cocaine use, threats of violence and racial abuse were rife. He said of his eventual Superdome refuge: "There was a lot of heat from the people in there, people shouting racial abuse about us being white. "We had to wash with tiny bottles of water, the sink was blocked and full of gunk. Even when we offered to help with the cleaning, the locals gave us abuse." And here I thought that only white people were racist they are, these people were obviously "projecting" their own racism

They don't appreciate the value of multiculturalism.

They should have to take a tolerance training class.

Besides Bush's obvious hatred of blacks, the racism exhibited by these students is the worst behaviour I've seen exhibited in the aftermath of Katrina.

Quoted: Quoted: Yeah, most do not want to hear that the blacks are the most racist people in the world.......oh I guess they have that right I can vouch for what you said...and I am non-white and non-Caucasian for that matter.   Generally, blacks in America are the most racist and most uncivil in the world.

You know, I can't really speak on that...but I did have a good friend from Kenya at college, and honestly (he told me so) he couldn't stand being around African Americans...

Here is an article about the Brits getting home, and what they saw:

www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,11069-1765482,00.html

Our terrifying ordeal
By Sean O'Neil and Joanna Bale

TWO words on the boarding pass that secured Will Nelson a club-class seat on a flight from Dallas to Gatwick tell everything about the last week of his summer in America.

Alongside the flight details is stamped: “Hurricane Evacuee”.

Mr Nelson, and other Britons returning from New Orleans yesterday, will keep the boarding passes as souvenirs of the most frightening experience of their lives, being trapped in the city’s Superdome stadium.

As the first Britons caught by Hurricane Katrina returned home, the US authorities said that all 240,000 residents of New Orleans would have to leave before it could be rebuilt.

The death toll is likely to run into thousands and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office said that 131 Britons were still unaccounted for. However it emphasised that many are likely to be safe and could have left the disaster area days ago.

During seemingly endless days and sleepless nights, the British survivors’ fear of the hurricane’s destructive force was transformed into terror of the other survivors.

Mr Nelson, 21, and Jane Wheeldon, 20, told The Times how they and some 50 other foreigners — many of them British backpackers — were ordered by the US Army to gather together to protect themselves from resentful locals.

“The army told us to stick in a group and for the women to sit in the middle with the men around the outside and to be ready to defend ourselves,” Mr Nelson, from Epsom, Surrey, said. “Their urgency scared us. I sat on the outside, really scared by this point, sitting waiting for God knows what. We waited and waited, I didn’t sleep. A lot of the girls had been groped.”

Miss Wheeldon, from Carmarthen, South Wales, said that being inside the Superdome was terrifying and that she had been sexually harassed.

“The atmosphere was extremely intimidating,” the Lancaster University student said. “People stared at us all the time and men would come up to me and stroke my stomach and bottom. They would also say horrible, suggestive things. The worst time came when there was a rumour that a white man had raped a black woman. We were scared that we would be raped, robbed, or both. People were arguing, fighting and being arrested all the time.”

The “internationals”, as the army labelled the stranded tourists, were among the few white people in the stadium. Marked out by their skin colour and unfamiliar accents, they were verbally abused, while their luggage made them targets for robbery.

Mr Nelson said that local people also noticed that they received preferential treatment from the guards who gave them ration packs and water to help them to avoid food queues.

Mr Nelson, who graduated from Loughborough University in June, said: “The queues for the rations got more and more crazy. People were desperate.

“The physical conditions were horrible. It was stiflingly hot, you were sweating constantly. The smell was awful, a mix of sweat, faeces, urine — just a horrible, horrible smell.

“When the water stopped and the toilets packed up, it just got worse and worse. I can still smell it; it makes me gag.”

Miss Wheeldon said: “The sights we saw you wouldn’t want anyone to see. The filth and smell were unbelievable.” The threat came from a minor-ity — mainly young men. “The majority of the people of New Orleans are absolutely lovely,” she said. “Some families were ready to give us their food even though they had nothing.”

One of the most dangerous periods came on Wednesday when the military decided that the internationals should be removed for their own safety.

Officers told them to organise themselves in groups of five and make their way to an exit. The leaders were given a blue wristband and made accountable for the others. Mr Nelson’s was still on his arm yesterday.

He said: “The people around us were suspicious and resentful. They asked where we were going and we lied. We said that we were going to sit somewhere else. I walked off, head down, tunnel vision, I didn’t stop to think. I felt guilty but there was also a tremendous sense of relief that I was getting out of there.”

The tourists were taken to an emergency medical centre where many volunteered to help. “There were very few medics and we were able to help with feeding people, carrying stretchers and just talking to people who had lost their whole lives,” said Mr Nelson. “That night we saw a soldier brought in from the dome who had been shot in the leg.”

The Britons were taken on to Dallas the following day, seeing for the first time the full devastation caused by the hurricane.

Mr Nelson said: “I knew I was going home eventually, I knew I had a family home to go to and I knew where my family was and that they were safe. I realised just how lucky I was compared to many of the people we had left behind.”

Mr Nelson had been working as a lifeguard with Camp America, which organised his flight home. But during nine hours in the air, he could not sleep. “I couldn’t wait to get home, to see my parents, my sisters and my friends and be back somewhere I knew I would be safe.”

At Gatwick, Mr Nelson and Miss Wheeldon had tearful reunions with their families. Other survivors are expected back in Britain today.

FOUR DAYS INSIDE

Will Nelson’s journal

Sunday 28th
Entering the Superdome:

“I was in a bit of a state and rang home to tell them what was happening . . . the electricity was set to go off.”

Monday 29th
The storm hits:

“I began shaking as everyone around us was screaming and running up the stairs . . . I thought that the dome would flood and we would all die in it like a big fish bowl.”

Tuesday 30th:

“We heard stories of girls being raped and people getting stabbed . . . A few of us ventured up to the next level in desperate search of a toilet. It really was like walking through a neighbourhood, all the different camps. We kept our eyes to the ground.”

The Army advises ‘internationals’ to sit together:

“Their urgency scared us senseless.”

Wednesday 31st:
The ‘internationals’ are moved out of the dome:

“As we walked out the locals shouted insults at us and began causing trouble. I kept my eyes down.”

Zulus....thousands of them!

Quoted: www.battlefield-site.co.uk/stanley_baker.jpg Zulus....thousands of them!

Quoted: At least one person died in the arms of a soldier. A National Guardsman was wounded in the leg by his own gun in a struggle with two men and a military helicopter was shot at while ferrying away a casualty. Was he professional enough to handle his M16?

what are you suggesting?

Quoted: www.battlefield-site.co.uk/stanley_baker.jpg Zulus....thousands of them!

I don't care who you are.....THAT THERE IS FUNNY !!!!

Quoted: www.battlefield-site.co.uk/stanley_baker.jpg Zulus....thousands of them!

Quoted: www.battlefield-site.co.uk/stanley_baker.jpg Zulus....thousands of them!

oh fuck, I was not expecting something like that,

fuckin' animals!

Quoted: www.battlefield-site.co.uk/stanley_baker.jpg Zulus....thousands of them!

OK THATS FUNNY!

One of the most dangerous periods came on Wednesday when the military decided that the internationals should be removed for their own safety. Officers told them to organise themselves in groups of five and make their way to an exit.

This will be cited as an example of GW's "racist response": Remove the affluent white folks from danger, while leaving the poor blacks to fend for themselves. Count on it.

I was watching the news with my wife when they were showing the people going in to the Superdome. I told her that there was no way I would willingly go in there with those people. It doesn't give me much satisfaction that I was right.

Quoted: I was watching the news with my wife when they were showing the people going in to the Superdome. I told her that there was no way I would willingly go in there with those people. It doesn't give me much satisfaction that I was right.

Same here.
My wife nodded her head in agreement. I have always told her that if something happened don't go to any gov't warehousing under any circumstances and that I would make my way home even if I had to walk it. I always make sure I am armed when I travel. We have made provisions for ourselves to survive a variety of catastrophes.

Quoted: At least one person died in the arms of a soldier. A National Guardsman was wounded in the leg by his own gun in a struggle with two men and a military helicopter was shot at while ferrying away a casualty. Was he professional enough to handle his M16?

The story I heard was that the two were attacking him to take his weapon.

Kharn

Quoted: Quoted: www.battlefield-site.co.uk/stanley_baker.jpg Zulus....thousands of them! I don't care who you are.....THAT THERE IS FUNNY !!!!

I'm almost ashamed.......almost.

This is what the Welfare State and Forced Poverty has gotten us

Quoted: www.battlefield-site.co.uk/stanley_baker.jpg Zulus....thousands of them!

Second funniest thing I have read all night.

tag

Quoted: Quoted: www.battlefield-site.co.uk/stanley_baker.jpg Zulus....thousands of them! I don't care who you are.....THAT THERE IS FUNNY !!!!

I laughed so hard, I think I busted a kidney!  

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Yeah, most do not want to hear that the blacks are the most racist people in the world.......oh I guess they have that right I can vouch for what you said...and I am non-white and non-Caucasian for that matter.   Generally, blacks in America are the most racist and most uncivil in the world. You know, I can't really speak on that...but I did have a good friend from Kenya at college, and honestly (he told me so) he couldn't stand being around African Americans...

same here, guy at work hates them, he even calls them low life "nig$#%s"

Definite proof that its a cultural issue, not a race issue, when black folks from other countries can't stand the black culture in this country.

Quoted: I can vouch for what you said...and I am non-white and non-Caucasian for that matter.   Generally, blacks in America are the most racist and most uncivil in the world.

That there's a big +1 from me.  As a non-white, non-black, non-hispanic individual (Asian), I got treated the worst by African Americans when I was in grade school.  

Quoted: Quoted: I can vouch for what you said...and I am non-white and non-Caucasian for that matter.   Generally, blacks in America are the most racist and most uncivil in the world. That there's a big +1 from me.  As a non-white, non-black, non-hispanic individual (Asian), I got treated the worst by African Americans when I was in grade school.

I hear ya. I'm 75% white and 25% native american, but i look like a european. School in detroit sucked as a kid. i got many a beating for "being white".

Quoted: Definite proof that its a cultural issue, not a race issue, when black folks from other countries can't stand the black culture in this country.

That's for sure and I think we are talking about the culture of:

Lebanon
Palestine
Somalia
Angola
Nigeria
Zimbabwe
South Africa
Rwanda
.
.
.

Quoted: www.battlefield-site.co.uk/stanley_baker.jpg Zulus....thousands of them!

SNARFCOM.


You bastards! It's been a while, but someone owes me a keyboard.

Quoted: Definite proof that its a cultural issue, not a race issue, when black folks from other countries can't stand the black culture in this country.

+1 on it pretty much being a cultural issue.  I've known a few rural/country black folks who have nothing positive to say about big city blacks.  
Kinda reminds me of the Chris Rock bit about how "black folks can't have nothing without n*&&%#@ fvcking it up" (his words, not mine).  Not really a funny comedy bit, because it's all too true.

Quoted: This is what the Welfare State and Forced Poverty has gotten us

Forced poverty? WTF is that? How does one achieve FORCED poverty?

Bob

Quoted: Quoted: I can vouch for what you said...and I am non-white and non-Caucasian for that matter.   Generally, blacks in America are the most racist and most uncivil in the world. That there's a big +1 from me.  As a non-white, non-black, non-hispanic individual (Asian), I got treated the worst by African Americans when I was in grade school.

As a non-hispanic black individual, I got treated like poo by some other blacks but the vast majority of blacks did not bother me. OMG! Blacks are the suck! h=85%