The Brief
- A bus stop bench in MacArthur Park was removed after complaints about homeless people sleeping there and nearby drug use.
- Residents and commuters say open drug use, violence and public safety problems continue throughout the neighborhood despite recent law enforcement operations.
- Some residents support removing the bench, while others say it unfairly impacts commuters who rely on public transportation.
LOS ANGELES – A bus stop bench in Los Angeles’ MacArthur Park neighborhood has been removed after residents complained that homeless people were sleeping there and using drugs nearby, but many who live and work in the area say the missing bench is only a small part of a much larger public safety crisis.
FOX 11 walked through the area near Alvarado Street and Sixth Street, where open drug use, violence and visible signs of addiction continue to frustrate residents and commuters.
The neighborhood remains one of the city’s most troubled corridors, with people openly using drugs on sidewalks and needles scattered across the area. During FOX 11’s visit, tensions escalated quickly on the street, including one violent confrontation in broad daylight in which a man was beaten to the ground.…