Immigration raids lead to July 4th cancellations
As immigration enforcement operations continue daily in Southern California, a growing list of planned Fourth of July celebrations are being canceled, or postponed, including Los Angeles County’s Gloria Molina Grand Park Summer Block Party.
“Out of an abundance of caution and in light of ongoing events across L.A. County, we have made the difficult decision to postpone Gloria Molina Grand Park’s Summer Block Party,” an update on the event’s Instagram page stated. “We know this is disappointing news. We were so looking forward to celebrating with all of you at #TheParkforEveryone.
Please know that your safety is our absolute first priority.” “We are committed to bringing this beloved celebration back later this summer and will provide an unforgettable experience that uplifts L.A.’s resilience. We appreciate your patience and understanding more than words can express.”
The Block Party was scheduled for 4 to 9:30 p.m. Friday at the downtown venue. No new date has been announced. The postponement comes amid others in recent days including the cities of Bell Gardens and Cudahy and Los Angeles City Councilwoman Ysabel Jurado’s District 14 — all of which are majority Hispanic communities. Independence Day events in Boyle Heights, El Sereno, Lincoln Heights, and Northeast Los Angeles are also being postponed, according to the Boyle Heights Beat website.
“We’re responding to the crisis with the presence of federal agents in the community,” Jurado spokeswoman Alejandra Alarcon told the media outlet. In canceling its 66th Annual Independence Day Parade, the El Sereno Bicentennial Committee noted that “our participation is usually robust with over 1,200 people marching in the parade. The people who participate in the parade are some of the most patriotic people you would meet. They believe in the promise of this land, of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
“This year we will have to cancel our celebrations. We stand with our community. The safety of our participants, spectators, and volunteers is at the forefront.” One notable exception is the Eagle Rock Chamber of Commerce, which told Boyle Heights Beat they plan to go ahead with pre-holiday concert set for 5 p.m. Sunday.
“I will not cancel it, and we never have canceled it,” chamber president Michael Nogueira told the website. “There’s no reason to be canceling this event. There’s no widespread curfew. It’s one square mile of downtown [ongoing protests]. It’s not affecting us.”
Meanwhile in Culver City, elected officials and community members plan to gather at 12:30 p.m. Sunday to hold a rally and fundraiser for a popular street vendor who was “reportedly taken near Resurrection Church [11137 Culver Blvd.] by a masked individual driving an unmarked SUV,” organizers said. “His cart was left behind, and he was later confirmed to be in ICE custody under inhumane conditions: denied food, exposed to extreme cold, and restricted from visitation.”
Community leaders said the vendor, Ambrocio “Enrique” Lozano, has been a “beloved Culver City street vendor” who has sold paletas in the community for more than 20 years.
