Residents, City Officials Say They Don’t Want a Repeat of Echo Park Violence as They Prepare to Close MacArthur Park

A homeless encampment in Venice Beach, Calif., on Jan. 27, 2021. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times

Los Angeles Councilmember Gil Cedillo announced the city will close MacArthur Park on Oct. 15, where about 200 homeless Angelenos reside, for maintenance and repairs.

“We want to provide a safe, clean and secure park for all people that come to MacArthur Park to play, relax and enjoy this precious open space that lies in the heart of our low-income neighborhood of Westlake,” Cedillo said in a statement. “We made significant improvements to MacArthur Park, including a new playground, synthetic soccer field, new sod, landscaping, and a dance floor for the Levitt Pavilion bandshell. We are now completing much-needed deferred maintenance to provide a better park for children and families.”