New Orleans police prepare for summit

AP reports that New Orleans police aren't worried about any protests at next week's summit. When it comes to crowd control, superintendent Warren Riley said, "We handle these situations better than anyone in the country." This is the city that hosts Mardi Gras every year, after all.

The same report refers to a December protest in the city:

Still, there are local tensions that officers will be on watch for -- among them simmering unhappiness about the City Council's decision last December to approve demolition of many large public housing complexes. A small group of protesters clashed with police as the council was debating on the issue. Police deployed chemical spray and Tasers and some arrests were made.

A New York Times story elaborated on the events:

Police officers on foot and horseback tried to keep protesters out of the council chambers once all the seats were filled. Demonstrators tried to push through some iron gates to get into the chambers when the police used what appeared to be pepper spray and stun guns; at least two demonstrators needed medical treatment.

There was also a brief fight inside the chambers and the police ejected some demonstrators. About 15 protesters were arrested, the police said, mostly on charges of disturbing the peace.