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Video: Food Truck War on 5700 Wilshire Gets a Little Violent
The battle for parking spaces on Wilshire Boulevard got a bit crazy on Friday when an apparent Museum Square employee threw something at an officer worker filming him and others re-feed parking meters.
Since June, Museum Square employees have been using their own vehicles to block food trucks from parking on the 5700 block of Wilshire during the lunch rush, a move to please brick and mortar restaurants that pay rent in the building. Although building management will not comment, employees speaking under the condition of anonymity have confirmed the tactic, which to date has been successful.
Food trucks, at least ones that are members of the Southern California Mobile Food Vendors Association (SCMFVA), now park on the 5800 or 5900 blocks of Wilshire under a gentlemen's agreement.
During the day, Museum Square employees re-feed the meters in an attempt to avoid parking tickets, according office workers in the area. Last Friday, one of them videoed an employee re-feeding meters using his cell phone (see video above). At one point you can see an employee throw something at him and apparently grab him in attempt to get to the phone.
The office worker, who spoke under the condition of anonymity, said he called the police, who could not locate the suspect, but did eventually obtain his identity. "They're not getting away with this," he added. "I'm going to court."
Matt Geller of the SCMFVA said officer workers are not happy with their ad hoc food choices disappearing. "People feel their rights are being infringed upon," he noted, adding that he has a meeting set up with Councilmember Tom LaBonge, who wants to regulate food trucks. "I hope we can alleviate all of this in the next few weeks with the agreement we're putting together."
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