A video posted online shows a woman brutally attacking a street vendor last week in downtown Los Angeles.
In a video posted Sunday to Instagram, a woman is seen approaching the food worker, identified by her family as Arabelia Martinez, at her hot dog cart at Figueroa and 7th streets.
The woman is seen pouring something over Martinez’s food and Martinez throws what appears to be powdered spices back at the woman, who then goes around the vendor’s cart and attacks her.
In the video, the woman throws Martinez to the ground, grabs her by the hair and repeatedly attacks her as bystanders try to step in and help.
Both women fall to the ground and the woman punches Martinez’s head, the video shows.
Martinez is helped up from the ground and tries to walk away but the woman attacks her again, beating her head and face.
The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed that they responded on June 15 around 4 p.m. to a report for battery. The woman who attacked the vendor fled before police arrived.
The LAPD took down a police report and is actively investigating the incident. Anyone with more information has been urged to contact authorities.
A GoFundMe page has been created by Martinez’s daughter to raise money “toward therapy and professional support so she can begin to heal emotionally and mentally, rest and recovery — giving her the time off she needs without the financial stress of missing work, and replacing the damaged items she relies on to earn a living,” according to the page.
“My mom has dedicated herself to her work every single day, rain or shine, to provide for our family,” according to the page. “She is one of the most resilient and loving people I know, and no one deserves what happened to her. The assault not only left her physically and emotionally shaken, but also resulted in damage to the items she works so hard to maintain.”
More than $97,000 has been raised so far for Martinez.
