Man caught on video destroying street vendor stand in Woodland Hills with an ax
A man was caught on video destroying a street vendor stand in Woodland Hills with an ax, but no arrests were made — even though police say this is not the first time this man has gone after a street vendor.
Reports of a "man with an ax" at about 8 p.m. Monday sent Los Angeles police officers to the corner of Dumetz and Canoga in Woodland Hills, where witnesses said a man had gone after a fruit vendor's stand. The vendor whose stand was being attacked was not hurt.
Video shows the man destroying a folding table and a multi-colored umbrella with an ax. A report was taken at Monday's scene, but no arrest was made.
Police said the same man had attacked a different vendor in May, but would not release the man's name.
Street vendors have been the target of violence with increasing frequency this summer. Earlier this month, a man was caught on video going on a racist tirade toward workers at a taco stand in Long Beach, while a woman last month attacked a different taco stand in South LA, dumping out food and barrels of horchata before attacking a woman who was working at the stand.
The attacks on street vendors have become such a concern, that the City of Santa Ana is considering a proposal to classify attacks on street vendors as hate crimes.
