“If you’re gonna have your awards show, don’t have it where the homeless people are and you don’t have to worry about it,” said a homeless resident named DJ.
Los Angeles kicked out a high population of homeless people living in Union Station in Downtown LA so that multi-millionaire Hollywood celebrities could attend the Oscars without having to see the less fortunate.
This is the first time the Academy Awards chose to host their event at Union Station which is notorious for having a high homeless population, Fox11 reported.
"They came to us about a week ago saying that we had to move by Friday 6 p.m. because they were trying to clean up for the Oscars and they told us if we didn’t move, they were gonna just demolish our stuff," said a homeless resident named DJ living in a tent at Union Station.
According to DJ, the City of Los Angeles threatened that if homeless residents failed to move they would demolish their belongings; however, DJ mentioned that the city gave them an alternate option to stay.
"They forced us to go to the Grand Hotel on 3rd and Figueroa and they kicked everybody out of Union Station so it looks better for the image," said DJ.
Andy Bales of Union Rescue Mission spoke out on the matter and slammed LA officials for sweeping the homeless problem under the rug, Fox11 reported.
"We shouldn’t be about putting on a good show, we should be about doing good for our brothers and sisters, our neighbors who are suffering on our streets," said Bales.
Homeless resident DJ, who was once peacefully living in a tent at Union Station unbothered, gave advice to city leaders, "If you’re gonna have your awards show, don’t have it where the homeless people are and you don’t have to worry about it."
Los Angeles City Council member, Kevin De-Leon, said that homeless residents were not forced to relocate in a statement. "While the 93rd Academy Awards are being held at Union Station this year, and despite irresponsible rumors, NO unhoused residents are being forced to relocate. Since being sworn in, my office has been painstakingly working to house those experiencing homelessness throughout my district and we were able to offer housing options to unhoused residents in the vicinity of Union Station."
However, as the 93rd Academy Awards graced television screens across America, there were no tents or homeless people to be found.
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