Tape Of Man Flipping Street Vendor's Cart Touches Nerves

HOLLYWOOD, CA — Police are looking into a confrontation between a man selling shaved ice treats in Hollywood and another man who was recorded on video overturning the vendor's cart, sending ingredients spilling onto the sidewalk.

The confrontation, which was recorded by the vendor Benjamin Ramirez, occurred about 6 p.m. on July 16 in the 600 block of Romaine Street, according to Officer Tony Im of the Los Angeles Police Department's Media Relations office.

Officers responded to a report of a fight and met with the vendor and the man who flipped the cart, Im said.

Ramirez declined to make a private person's arrest so the officers took a vandalism report, according to Im, who said detectives from the LAPD's Hollywood Division are looking into the matter.

The video shows a bearded man wearing a cap and a Guns N' Roses T-shirt and holding a large-breed dog on a leash demanding in Spanish that the vendor vacate the area immediately.

The man hands the leash to a woman accompanying him and advances on Ramirez while holding something in his right hand.

Ramirez then throws what looks like chili powder at the man and retreats, and the man then tips the cart over.

The woman, who also appears to be recording the encounter, utters expletives while telling the vendor to stay away and not retaliate.

Ramirez says into the phone, “I’m recording this because this racist … threw my things.”

“I’m not racist,” the man replied, adding that he is Argentinian.

The video triggered a firestorm on social media with most of the backlash focused on the mana harassing the vendor.

Police did not release either man's name, but a GoFundMe page established for the vendor identified him as Benjamin "Elote Man" Ramirez.

The effort had raised $3,875 as of Tuesday afternoon, well more than the stated goal of $1,000.

Elote is Mexican-style street corn.

City News Service