"The Nov. 26 encounter - involving a Mexican immigrant vendor, her 11-year-old son, a panhandler claiming the corner as "his spot," the vendor's coworker and bystanders who intervened - has tapped into broader concerns about safety for street vendors, rising hostility toward Latino workers and the way law enforcement responds when vulnerable communities call for help. Karla Luna, 27, arrived shortly before 10:30 a.m. at the central median just east of Farmers Lane,a location she and other vendors have frequented for years."
"When Luna and her son stepped onto the median that Wednesday morning, a man was already there with a cardboard sign asking for "$500 for rent." Luna said he quickly became agitated and told her the space was his. Luna, who speaks little English, tried to keep working but said her son grew frightened as the man's yelling escalated. She began recording."
A man grabbed and dumped bouquets sold by a Mexican immigrant flower vendor and her 11-year-old son into a creek along Sonoma Highway in Santa Rosa, captured on video that drew millions of views. The vendor had arrived at a median she and others frequently use when a panhandler claiming the corner as "his spot" became agitated and confronted her. Bystanders intervened as the man carried buckets of flowers across lanes while cars passed. A driver stopped after seeing the vendor's frightened son and called 911. The incident raised concerns about street vendor safety, anti-Latino hostility, and law enforcement's handling of the confrontation.
Read at The Mercury News
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