Video of Hollywood Walk of Fame Street Vendors Sparks Debate: ‘Like the Streets of Mexico’

An X user is calling attention to the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles, California, over what they believe is the area going from an “iconic, recognizable place” to looking “like the streets of Mexico.”

Using a clip shared by another social media user, X user @WallStreetApes reshared the video and claimed in the caption that the street is lined with “illegal food vendor carts.” The user also pointed out that at the end of the clip, “you hear Mexican music blasting,” writing that that if you “import the 3rd world,” you “become the 3rd world.”

People Complain Hollywood Walk of Fame is Filled with Mexican Food Vendors

In a clip that is under 30 seconds long, users can see the Hollywood Walk of Fame being filmed as someone walks down the street. The area is lined with food vendor carts, and there’s even a person standing on the sidewalk offering $5 souvenirs.

But this isn’t unusual behavior for a place that is considered a major tourist attraction. Small businesses and vendors often try to capitalize on high foot traffic in areas like this, so seeing street vendors in a popular tourist area isn’t uncommon.

Some commenters argued with the crowded sidewalks is that they believe the area is being overtaken by “illegal food vendor carts.” The X user even went as far as to claim that the Hollywood Walk of Fame is “being turned into Mexico by Democrats.”

While the video does show a number of food vendors parked along the Los Angeles Walk of Fame, there’s no way to confirm that these vendors are operating illegally. According to the United States Census Bureau, 49 percent of Los Angeles County’s population identifies as Hispanic or Latino, making it one of the largest groups in the county. With figures like that, it’s not exactly surprising to see Hispanic or Latino residents running small businesses in the area.

Maybe that’s why many people in the comments disagreed with the X user. “Mexicans were here long before you buddy. We’re a mix of indigenous people,” one person wrote. Another added, “You are wrong. It’s not Mexicans, most of the people you see are from Venezuela, Colombia, from Central or South America.”

However, there were also people in the comments who agreed with the X user and claimed the vendors were operating illegally. “I’ll bet you not one of them pays ANY TAXES,” one person wrote. Another alleged, “That is 100% illegal!” adding, “I can’t believe they allow this.”

In the end, commenters were divided, with some people defending the vendors while others agreed they were running their carts without obtaining the proper permission.

The Daily Dot was unable to independently verify the claims made in the post. The video does not establish whether any of the vendors shown were operating without permits.