Los Angeles City Council hopeful Raul Claros, a 45‑year‑old community organizer, revealed on Tuesday that if he wins the District 1 seat he plans to live and work out of a trailer pitched near MacArthur Park. Claros said the park and its surroundings “have now become a disaster zone, a multilayered crisis” – a statement that set off a heated exchange with current councilmember Eunisses Hernandez.
Speaking to the Los Angeles Times, Claros noted he would stay in the trailer until the city’s persistent crime, homelessness and drug problems were dealt with. He also admitted that the stunt is “a publicity stunt to draw attention to the city’s plight,” and added: “We definitely do want the attention. We want the attention of every department and resource.”
Hernandez’s spokesperson, Naomi Villagomez‑Roonkch, blasted the idea, calling it an attempt to “exploit low‑income neighborhoods for publicity stunts or misleading residents about how the city works.” The back‑and‑forth escalated when Claros appeared on Fox News Digital, accusing Hernandez of failing to tackle homelessness and of being stalled by an unwilling LAPD. He drew attention to the fact that two homicides had occurred in the park in the past year and criticized the council’s leadership for blocking efforts to defund the police.
The conflict unfolded amid growing tension over MacArthur Park. Federal agents, including National Guard soldiers, had conducted immigration raids in the summer, and the area has long been flagged by officials as a stronghold for MS‑13. Mayor Karen Bass condemned the federal presence, saying that the police and troops had frightened children who normally enjoy the park’s summer camp program. She asked, “What happened to the criminals, the drug dealers, the violent individuals?” and highlighted that those kids have been left without their usual activities.
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