Mayor Bass orders LAPD to halt criminal tickets for street food vendors

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass learned that the police had erroneously issued criminal citations to street food vendors around MacArthur Park and ordered the department to stop the practice. Her spokesperson, Paige Sterling, said the city will also seek to overturn any wrongful tickets and prevent similar actions elsewhere in the city. The mayor emphasized that street vending is a vital part of Los Angeles' culinary scene and a source of income for many residents.

The controversy follows Bass' remarks at a recent debate that compared vendor locations to homeless encampments, drawing criticism from Councilmember Nithya Raman. Raman responded by launching a pro-vendor policy proposal that includes an Immigrant Economic Opportunity Hub and designated vending corridors with shared infrastructure. Both candidates are now using the issue to differentiate their visions for the city ahead of the upcoming election.