NEW ORLEANS — A New Orleans family is calling for answers and an apology after catching an item, during the Irish Parade they say had a racial slur written across it.
Jennifer Lawrence says her daughter caught a banana at the St. Patrick Day Metairie Road Parade on Sunday with a racial slur etched into it.
“They caught numerous things and this banana was one of them,” she told Eyewitness News.
“So you’re traveling near and far to come show support and this is what we get, a banana with a vile word on it, for what reason?” she said. “This is unacceptable. I don’t know if this is the only banana they had, there could be several more we never know.”
Lawrence said she was shocked when her 24-year-old daughter texted her a picture of the banana. She says her daughter wasn’t comfortable speaking to Eyewitness News. Lawrence says her daughter told her she believed the rider intentionally threw the banana at her.
“For you to go out and support someone and receive, something as vile as this, it just changes your mood about supporting certain groups and organizations,” Lawrence said.
As soon as she got the picture, she took to social media.
“This shouldn’t happen, not just my child any child. And not just children, adults of another race. You just can’t disrespect people.”
Lawrence's sister-in-law Danielle Santiago says the family is outraged.
“From where I sit there will be no attending St Patrick’s day parades ever again," Santiago said. “It's not acceptable, we need an explanation and we need to be assured or have some type of assurance, to know that this will not happen going forward, in the future.”
Parade President, Dan Civello says each rider must read the rules and regulations before signing on. The very first rule states that “No offensive or obscene throws…Violation of this rule will result in immediate ejection from the parade.”
“We pride ourselves on being a family-friendly parade and we don’t put up with this,” Civello said. “I’m heartbroken too, we don’t want to see this kind of stuff.”
The family says the incident happened on Old Metairie Road. They also say the banana was thrown from floats between 31–35.
Eyewitness News passed that information on to the parade organization, and they say they’re investigating, but that investigation could take a couple of days.
“We welcome all cultures, all cultures have done a lot for this city, so we want everybody to celebrate,” Civello said.
“I am anxious to get to the bottom of this and my apology to the family that had to endure this thing, I apologize to them.”