A street vendor has been arrested after he was caught on video in an altercation with a local taco stand for apparently setting up their business too close to his.
The community came out to support the taco stand, Tacos La Güera after seeing what had occurred in the video that is already trending on social media with thousands of views.
As seen in the video, the food truck vendor went over to the workers at the taco stand and began pouring water onto their grill and then spraying their food with a fire extinguisher.
The man, identified as 38-year-old Carlos Plascencia, was arrested yesterday by sheriff's deputies.
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"He gets off, goes to the truck, takes out a fire extinguisher and goes to the area with the food and starts spraying the grill, the merchandise and the meat and the guys just started moving from one place to another," Roció Gascón, the owner of the taco stand said.
The events occurred last Thursday night on the corner of Mulberry Drive and Mills Avenue in the city of Whittier, a place specifically chosen by the owner of tacos La Güera and her workers days before.
They say they had not seen any other street vendor in that spot and chose to set up there.
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"I came last weekend, I came on Friday and Saturday and I didn't see any street vendors here, so I told the guys I already have a place to put them," said Gascon.
José Martínez, a worker who recorded the viral video, tried to calm the food truck vendor but everything was useless.
“At that moment I felt fear and anger and what I did was record because I said in case something else happens, I have video, I have evidence and this supports us,” Martínez said.
Several people who watched what happened on social media expressed their solidarity with the owner of the taco stand and her employees.
“If the man had gotten off, and told me in a nice way that this is his spot then I would move, Los Angels is very big, the sun rises for everyone, many families depend on this,” said Gascón.
The taco stand experienced damages exceeding $2,000, and Plascencia will likely face felony charges. He will appear before a judge next Tuesday on charges of vandalism.
