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Vendors Told to Pack Up and Leave Staples Center
Street Services Investigators make sure t-shirt vendors leave | Photo: Zach Behrens/LAist
The millions expected to show in downtown Los Angeles today did not appear. While that was good on the city's resources, it meant bad business for hundreds of vendors selling t-shirts, buttons and other items. Around 4 p.m. outside the Staples Center, Chick Hearn Court was opened up to the public at large as well as the vendors who were making last minute efforts to jettison their wares. Unfortunately for them Street Services Investigators--public works employees with police powers--were forcing the vendors to pack up and leave.
One Investigator, wearing a black polo t-shirt with "City of L.A. Investigator" emblazoned on the back, told LAist that they were not out to cite or arrest any of the vendors today, even if they just moved one block down. He said they would only be disciplined if they were acting difficult.
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
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