A lawsuit has been filed against New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell and the city's Health Department director, Dr. Jennifer Avegno. The suit was filed on behalf of dozens of residents who claim they have been prevented from taking part in activities in New Orleans because of the city's vaccine and mask mandates. Activities referenced in the lawsuit include sporting events and eating at local restaurants. The lawsuit reads in part:"Plaintiffs stand on behalf of all persons who demand respect for the rule of law, individual autonomy, parental authority, and those who cherish the City of New Orleans and are saddened by the social, economic and cultural harm caused by the Defendants' authoritarian actions under the pretext of an emergency without end."The group is calling for an injunction to halt the mandates until the case is heard in court. Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry petitioned a court to have the State of Louisiana intervene in the lawsuit. Landry issued a statement saying that health care decisions should be made by individuals, not dictated by the government:“Through her coercive tactics, the Mayor of New Orleans is trying to interfere with the healthcare choices of families. Like the Governor, who overrode the will of the people’s representatives and unlawfully mandated COVID shots on Louisiana’s students, the Mayor is abusing her office.“The parents, guardians, and — most importantly — the children who rely upon services in the Crescent City deserve much better. I hope the lawsuit successfully ends this attempt to force a medical procedure on these citizens.”City Hall Spokesperson Beau Tidwell responded to the claims Tuesday."Traditionally, we do not comment on pending litigation," Tidwell said. "However, in this case, I think it's worth noting that the guidelines that we put in place saved lives. Full stop."He also reaffirmed that the city's vaccine and mask requirements will remain in place throughout Mardi Gras, which culminates with Fat Tuesday on March 1."We're moving into a situation that is unprecedented for us. We're hosting Mardi Gras, which is a worldwide event, visitors from all over the country, all over the world," Tidwell said. "We have frontline workers who are going to be exposed every day, all day, to multiple visitors from across the country. That's why we've been pushing so hard for our people to get vaccinated."On Tuesday, the city's vaccine mandate expanded to include children as young as 5 years old. They must now show proof they are fully vaccinated or received a negative COVID-19 test recently to enter restaurants and other indoor spaces.