Sacramento Lowrider Community Wants City To Lift Cruising Ban
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — There is a culture clash over Sacramento's ban on cruising and a possible shift in city policy.
A group of Sacramento lowriders met face-to-face with the city's police chief and councilmembers asking to lift the city-wide ban, arguing they feel targeted.
Francine Mata with the Sacramento Lowrider Commission is helping push for a change.
"I'm emotional right now," Mata said. "Because it's hurtful and it's 2022."
Inside a packed conference room, Sacramento City Council Members Katie Valenzuela, Angelique Ashby, and Rick Jennings and Police Chief Kathy Lester spoke and listened with leaders in the lowrider community.
"I think there's a lot of opportunities for collaboration," Chief Lester said.
"My job is to make sure that we work together to address those issues," Jennings said.
Mata told leaders she wants the city ban on cruising lifted.
"I just feel we're being targeted," Mata said.
The meeting was set inside the California Auto Museum, as it displays a lowrider exhibit.
The message from the people speaking to city leaders: Sacramento needs to lift up the lowriding culture, not limit it.
"I mean we need some agreements," Mata said. "This is an almost 40-year-old issue. When are we going to catch up to 2022?"
"What you heard today was really compelling evidence from the community that they felt targeted," Valenzuela said.
Valenzuela is working to change the ordinance that bans cruising after a city-sanctioned homeless encampment was set up at Miller Park, an area the city had previously designated for lowriders to gather.
Even talk of lifting a ban has some business owners in Old Sacramento concerned.
"It could be detrimental," Hoppy Brewing Company's Troy Paski said.
Paski wants Old Sacramento to be more pedestrian-friendly, not less. He says cruising creates problems and already goes unenforced on the street outside his restaurant.
"Any car doesn't need to be in this district let alone low-riders," Paski said.
This lowrider commission is asking the city to stop prohibiting, and start protecting the culture of cruising.
"Stop the prejudiced actions toward us, blocking us out of parks, locking us out," Mata said.
Councilmember Valenzuela has promised some change will come to the cruising ordinance. Just what change is to be determined.