The Assault on Outer Banks Bar

And so it came to this.  Wow, what an afternoon Inside the Footprint.

Here's the initial email that I received this afternoon:

"Just heard that about 20 cop cars showed up and busted down the doors of Outer Banks. They were screaming at Nicole that they owned the building now and for her to get her stuff and get out. Not sure beyond that what is happening."

 Apparently, sledgehammers were used to break open the front door.  Here's more from Channel 4.

The owner, Greg Guth, an attorney, stood outside shortly after I arrived, a moving truck behind him, and gave a reasoned explanation of why he believes he retains legal rights (30 days to file an appeal to the Lousiana Supreme Court) to the building and the tavern operation the occupied it.  While many items had apparently been moved out of the bar by the constables who arrived earlier in force, when I arrived, patrons of the bar moved some items out of the bar and moved everything into the truck as a number of contractors and police officers looked on.

An intense scene emerged as contractors ultimately started drilling the doors shut with boards.  Nicole, the bartender and manager of the bar, got in the faces of the workers as the last screws drove into the wood.  It really was a crazy scene.

And then, amidst the piles of items from the bar and the gathered, shocked, almost tearful patrons, it was done.  Louis, who mans the BBQ on Saints game days, who once shined shoes at the bar when he was ten with his father (many different bar names ago), hauled away the plant that stood sentinel out front.

The State of Louisiana made clear today what's been rather clear to me all along.  They're not going to play nice.


ADDED:

Here's the AP's story on the happening as it appeared at Nola.com.