Almost a month after a terrorist drove a truck down Bourbon Street and killed 14 people, New Orleans is set to host the Super Bowl 59.
On a press release on Monday, officials said there were no credible threats to the game or its many surrounding events.
“Right now we have no specific credible threats to this event … which I think should give us all a sense of security,” said the Department of Homeland Security Secretary Christ’s Noem to journalists in New Orleans Monday. “We recognize the importance of ensuring that we make due diligence and are prepared for events as proactive as possible, and pre-submitting resources and partnerships that will help us ensure that these events come out safely and with focus on security ”
Recently installed security barriers are seen on Bourbon Street next to a memorial for victims of January 1st car attacks in front of the Super Bowl in New Orleans, Friday 31. January 2025.
Gerald Herbert/AP, file
She added, “We have partners that we are dedicated to working with to make sure we get through these types of events in a way that has been important to focus on the priorities.”
NFL manager for security Cathy Lanier said in the days following the terrorist attack, the NFL changed their security plan.
“We’ve reviewed and reviewed all the details of what happened on January 1st,” Laer said. “We have reviewed and reused each of our roles within the overall security plan, and we have reassessed and stressed tested-our timing, our communication protocols, our emergency preparedness measures and our emergency plans several times over the past several weeks.”
There will be over 2,700 state, federal and local law enforcement members who secure the game, according to officials.
Laer said the event is a “no-drone zone”, which means drones are not allowed anywhere near the stadium. A drone that was not cleared to fly over m& T Bank Stadium briefly stopped Steelers-Raven’s Wild Card game last month.
Noem was on Bourbon Street on Monday on the scene of the terrorist attack. Balls that were not in place during the New Year celebrations due to repair are now back in place.
“We have an opportunity to learn from what happened,” Noem told journalists earlier in the day, she said she would also honor the victims. “Super Bowl is the biggest security event for Homeland we’re doing every single year.”
A man visits a memorial for victims of January 1st car attack, where newly installed security barriers have since been introduced on Bourbon Street ahead of the Super Bowl in New Orleans, Friday 31. January 2025.
Gerald Herbert/AP, file
The game gets a SEAR 1 assessment – which means there is a federal coordinator responsible for the security, in this case Eric Delaune, the special agent responsible for Homeland Security Investigations’ New Orleans Field Office.
Delaune is a Louisiana native, and it’s personal to make sure the game is personal to him, he said.
“I have worked to coordinate the safety of the soil, air and local waterways with the important support of our partners and utilize a unified front of all these law enforcement,” he said. “In the coming days there will be a significant increased presence of law enforcement in New Orleans, some of which will be visible and obvious.”
