'A scene from Mad Max': Britons reveal horror of the Superdome

[Benbow]

Independent
By Matthew Beard
Published: 3 September 2005

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/article309903.ece

A young Briton trapped with his fiancée in the stadium telephoned his father yesterday and pleaded to be rescued, saying that they were in "dreadful danger". Mark Graydon, 26, had described to his father John Graydon how the stadium, a makeshift home to about 30,000 evacuees from the hurricane, including a group of about 30 Britons, was being run by local mafia. He said that his American fiancée, Gretchen Heiserman, had been threatened with rape.

"He told me he was very concerned about his life and his girlfriend's" said John Graydon from Stanford-le-Hope in Essex, "He said: 'Dad, you have to get us out of here'. He is desperate. They are being seriously intimidated." Mr Graydon's father added: "He and Gretchen are surrounded by bullies, the local mafia ­ huge threatening men who seem to have taken over the running of the place. There are rumours a couple of women have been raped and he is scared for Gretchen. It's like a scene from Mad Max in there. One man has been beaten up brutally. There are also reports of bodies inside."

Marisa Haigh, 23, a student from Guildford in Surrey, had managed to contact her parents to tell them that she had been told by the US authorities she would soon be evacuated. She described how conditions were "appalling" .

But last night the New Orleans Superdome was all but emptied of people as the thousands who had been forced to spend the past week huddled in festering conditions were put on to buses and driven out of the city. They left behind a scene unimaginable to anyone who had previously visited the Dome, or indeed any other sports stadium. Noxious, flooded and littered with endless piles of debris, it was obvious how unpleasant the past week must have been. Upon entering the doors, one was greeted with a toxic blast of air, but inside it was far worse.

[DoYouEverWonder]

1. There is an interstate highway from the west into NO

that is open and clear, there is no good god damn reason or excuse for anyone to be in that building anymore.

The Superdome was no place to leave anyone in the first place, except has a shelter of a last resort and there is no good reason why these people weren't relocated Monday or Tuesday after the storm passed.

It is absolutely disgusting what is being done to the people that are being held prisoner in that building at this point. Absolutely disgusting.

[Piperay]

2. It's just disgraceful

that people have been 'living' in such inhumane conditions for days, it's just shameful.

[Benbow]

3. Picture of his American fiancee in the British press - blond, very pretty

- would turn people's heads in any room - I do hope that she got out unscathed.