A viral video showing an elderly Los Angeles street vendor being attacked has sparked discussion online about the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The son of the woman has since shared footage of the incident via Instagram and described what happened. However, X user @ImMeme0 has a different take, as do some of the people in the comments. Here’s what went down and why not everyone is fully taking the elderly woman’s side.
MIND-BLOWING: There was a disturbing incident in LA in which a Mexican woman was attacked by another woman who had a dispute with her over operating an illegal food stand.
— I Meme Therefore I Am ?? (@ImMeme0) June 22, 2026
Rather than using the incident to highlight the growing problem of crime and victimization in the city, her… pic.twitter.com/ptmHSQpfb4
Some Say the Woman was Operating the Stand Illegally
Arabelia Martinez is the woman seen in the clip being attacked by a younger woman. In the video, the younger woman can be seen sprinkling something over her hot dog stand. Martinez then appears to retaliate, throwing what looks like seasoning in the woman’s direction. The situation then escalates from there.
The other woman then attacks Martinez, hitting her in the head multiple times after she falls to the ground. People nearby can be seen trying to intervene, but the attacker remains close by and, at one point, grabs Martinez again and pulls her hair while punching her again.
In his reaction video, Martinez’s son, Constantino Garcia, says the woman approached his mother trying to “intimidate her and extort her for money.” He also launched a GoFundMe campaign with a $120,000 goal, which has raised over $80,000 as of June 23, 2026.
I lived in LA for 25 years. The street vendors would setup on the sidewalk near Mexican taqueria’s and steal business. The restaurant pays rent, insurance and has health inspections is this fair to the restaurant owners?
— Richard (@Richardwalking) June 23, 2026
Who also are Hispanic.
In the fundraiser description, Garcia says his mother is a “hardworking street vendor in Downtown Los Angeles,” adding that “the assault not only left her physically and emotionally shaken, but also resulted in damage to the items she works so hard to maintain.” He also notes that she has “dedicated herself to her work every single day, rain or shine, to provide for our family.”
Based on the level of donations, many people appear to be rallying behind Martinez and showing their support for her. However, X user @ImMeme0 claims the woman was operating an illegal food stand and argues she is “encouraging others to break the law,” since permits and other guidelines must be met in order to operate a street vending stand legally.
The X user also raised concerns about “illegal immigrants who may be tempted to start these businesses.” However, based on the information shared by the son, there has been no confirmation that Martinez’s stand was operating illegally. What has been confirmed by the woman’s son is that the assaulter who attacked Martinez has been identified.
The Daily Dot was unable to independently verify the claims made in posts discussing the vendor's permit status and has reached out for additional information.
