On Monday, February 3, 2025, thousands of individuals will participate in A Day Without Immigrants 2025, a nationwide movement where immigrants and allies in their communities will stay home from work, not attend school, or withhold from shopping. The date is a protest against President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown and highlights the role that immigrants play in the economy and society. On January 20, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement began targeting major sanctuary cities, which includes Los Angeles, right after Trump’s inauguration.
Los Angeles restaurants typically open on Mondays, including Teddy’s Red Tacos, Joan’s On Third, Yuca’s, and Inglewood’s Dulan’s Soul Food Kitchen, are closed in protest. Other participating LA restaurants include Tacos De Birria Estilo Tijuana, South LA Cafe, and Boyle Heights’ Uno Solo Sol. Restaurants throughout California and the country rely heavily on immigrant labor from Central and South America, including restaurant workers and farmworkers. NBC Bay Area reports that many farmworkers have not shown up to work for fear of deportation.
Over the weekend, thousands of anti-Trump demonstrators marched near Downtown LA’s City Hall, resulting in blocked traffic on local streets and a shutdown of the 101 Freeway.
As anti-Trump protestors blocked the 101 Freeway on Sunday afternoon, a TikTok creator captured a street food vendor selling churros. (Note: There’s NSFW language in the audio.)
Mother Wolf Group managing partner Giancarlo Pagani penned a petition for small businesses and restaurants in Los Angeles. The request is for government officials to support and amplify struggling restaurants in Southern California. The petition’s signers include A.O.C. chef Suzanne Goin, the Benjamin’s Ben Shenaassafar, MXO chef Wes Avila, and Funke/Mother Wolf chef Evan Funke. See the full petition here.
One week before the Eaton Fire ripped through Altadena, Woon opened its second location in Pasadena. The Los Angeles Times reports the restaurant closed out of caution due to water contamination, with the owners sharing their anxiety about its future.
In a stunning helicopter shot, ABC-7 looked at the devastation surrounding billionaire Rick Caruso’s retail and restaurant complex, Palisades Village. The majority of homes and structures surrounding Caruso’s structure are burned down, while his retail complex remains relatively intact. Caruso allegedly hired private firefighters to protect his properties in the Westside neighborhood.
2025-02-03T18:14:16Z