Family and Neighbors Will Gather Sunday to Sell Paletas and Raise Funds
Supporters will gather this Sunday at Veterans Park to rally behind Ambrocio “Enrique” Lozano, a longtime Culver City street vendor whose recent detention has sparked concern and calls for justice.
The community event is scheduled for June 29 from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m., with a program beginning at 1 p.m. Lozano’s family will sell the last of his paletas, Mexican popsicles, to help raise funds for his bond and to support his loved ones.
Lozano, who has sold paletas in Culver City neighborhoods for more than two decades, was reportedly taken against his will around 1:00 p.m. on June 23. Witnesses say a masked man forced him into a gray SUV or Suburban with no license plates near Resurrection Church. His paleta cart was left abandoned on the street and was later recovered by local residents and members of the Community Self-Defense Coalition.
His family later confirmed that Lozano is currently being held at a detention facility. They report he is experiencing harsh conditions, including inadequate food, extreme cold, and minimal access to visitation.
“This kind of violence is terrifying-and it has no place in our city or anywhere,” said Freddy Puza, Vice Mayor of Culver City. “In the U.S., no one should be taken without a warrant or probable cause. Everyone deserves due process and humane treatment- it’s a basic promise of our system.”
The upcoming event is intended not only as a fundraiser, but also as a public show of solidarity for a man known throughout the community for his friendly presence and longtime service.
