hot dog – Arabelia Martinez, 62, the downtown Los Angeles street vendor whose attack was captured on video last month, spoke Monday outside City Hall alongside local officials, urging an end to violence and discrimination toward street food workers.
When Arabelia Martinez walked out into the cold air Monday morning outside Los Angeles City Hall, she didn’t speak like someone asking for sympathy. She spoke like someone finishing a sentence she’s been trying to say for weeks—through tears that wouldn’t stop.
Martinez. 62. the street vendor shown on viral video being pummeled in a downtown Los Angeles attack last month. stood side-by-side with local officials and called for an end to violence against the people who serve food from carts. Video footage of the assault last month sparked public outcry. and Martinez said the attacks against street vendors have become too common.
“Let’s stop all the discrimination against street vendors… Enough!” Martinez said in Spanish, her voice breaking as tears trickled down her face. “All of us have the dignity to work. We all have the right to do our job.”
Authorities said Martinez was operating a hot dog cart near 7th and Figueroa Streets around 3:45 p.m. on June 15 when she got into an argument with 19-year-old Harmunie Heaven Church. Church allegedly punched Martinez multiple times. threw her to the ground. and tossed her cart over. according to Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Nathan Hochman.
Church was charged with assault likely to produce great bodily injury, aggravated battery and vandalism last week, Hochman said. His office is considering adding a hate crime allegation to the criminal complaint.
Martinez repeatedly referred to the attack as “racial discrimination.” Church is Black, according to jail records, while Martinez is Latina.
At an arraignment last month, Church pleaded not guilty to all charges, authorities said. A spokesperson for the L.A. County Alternate Public Defender’s Office, which is representing Church, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Two of Martinez’s children spoke during the news conference, saying this was not the first time their mother had been attacked.
Shannon Camacho. an activist with the non-profit Inclusive Actions. which has advocated on behalf of street vendors. said violence against street-level food workers is under reported. Camacho linked that to the combination of a years-long fight to legalize street vending in Los Angeles and months of harassment from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, saying the pressure has made workers extremely hesitant to cooperate with authorities.
Martinez and her family praised the Los Angeles police officers who investigated her case and urged fellow vendors to speak up when they’re attacked. “We must not stay silent,” Martinez said.
Arabelia Martinez Harmunie Heaven Church downtown Los Angeles street vendor violence hate crime allegation City Hall Inclusive Actions immigration and customs enforcement aggravated battery