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“Legal Hustling” Stopped On Sidewalk By City
posted (June 27, 2014)
This morning there was a commotion in front of the Novelo's Bus Terminal - after special constables shut down business for street side vendors selling from off the sidewalk. 7News was quickly called to the scene and we were told that the officers roughly ordered them off the sidewalk. This means no income for these sellers who say that what they call a "legal hustle" is their only means of income. And even if it is illegal, they want someone to help them.

Natalie Flowers, Street side vendor
"As you can see I usually come out to do a little selling because jobs are hard to find. When you do find a job, they pay like $150 a week. If you have teenagers, tell me how $150 could make you pay light bill, water bill plus you have to eat and you have basic - how will we do it? Now this morning they come and tell me that I have to move; the black people have to move, but the Spanish doesn't have to move because tacos stands are all over the place. They make me move and the lady up ahead they told her to move, but she didn't move. The lady is Spanish and she said that they told her to move but she doesn't have anywhere to go. But they came to have me pack up my things. I want to tell City Hall or whosoever is in charge - I want they come with force to me today because I am not going anywhere. I need to pay my light and water bills Mayor, stop chance poor people. Poor people have to eat, you have no jobs for them and I am not going to broke streets because I am not a man. I am sorry for the woman them who stands up in sun hot - left that for the men, but they want to give women to break street, but I will not break any street - I will sell my things, so they will have to move me with force."

"They told me to pack up and I told them that I will not pack up and I will call Channel 7. They told me to call and I still pack up because one of them who doesn't have any respect, they have a job, but it looks like they don't have any education - they only give them job just like that - they came to tell me that I am disrespecting her because I told her that I will take my time and pack up until the media arrives. I don't like the media, but today the media will have to like me because my children and I has to eat. They chance poor people, how black people are not allowed to sell but Spanish are allowed to sell?"

About an hour after we left - she was taken to the police station.

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