Less than a week after Mardi Gras, the City of New Orleans announced new restrictions on the size of Social Aid and Pleasure Club second lines. The ordinance has been in place for years, and it restricts the number of parade “elements,” including bands and trolleys.

A city spokesperson said the New Orleans Police Department is simply enforcing existing laws, many that social clubs had already been breaking.

Other city officials, however, say the recent initiative for more stringent administration is largely tied to the police shortage.