Street Vendors Protest Police Arrest Methods
About 70 demonstrators carrying signs that said “We are vendors, not criminals,” and shouting in Spanish, “Work, yes. Repression, no,” marched in front of the Rampart Police Division Headquarters on Thursday to protest what they said is excessive use of force by officers arresting street vendors near McArthur Park and other areas near downtown.
The protest is the latest wrinkle in a long-running flap between street vendors, who say they are just trying to make a living, and police, who say the vendors are violating a city ordinance that prohibits pedestrians from selling food or merchandise on public streets.
Several vendors in the crowd of protesters said police had roughed them up as they were arresting them, and had confiscated their merchandise. Rampart police did not return calls.
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