A community of strangers came together at Saturday’s Carnaval to defend a churro vendor in an incident that has given him an enthusiastic and savvy support group that has already raised $2,575.
The incident began when officers confronted the vendor, known only as Reymundo, for not having a permit. Police repeated their warning three times, but the monolingual Spanish speaker, unable to understand what they were saying, went about his business and continued to sell the long sugary pastries, according to Mission Police Captain Daniel Perea.
“On the third try to tell him to stop it just so happened that Department of Public Health walked by,” Perea said.
They issued a $200 fine on the spot.
After the incident, Sarahi Espinoza Salamanca wrote on Facebook, “We stepped in to translate and figure out what had happened. We were trying to tell the police men to just let him go, that he was on his way out. They refused to let him go and he was cited for $200 and has to show up to court on Tuesday at 9:30am.”
Zaira Sanroman, a student at the University of Montana who is at home for the summer, recognized Reymundo. She also stepped in to help.
“I just happened to stumble across a big group of people and the cops were there,” she said. “We got kinda outraged by it. He has a right to be here.”
In the midst of the incident, Reymundo, who suffers from diabetes and high blood pressure, slumped to the ground.
As Reymundo crumpled, paramedics happened to be nearby, Parea said. As soon as the paramedics cleared him, a doctor walked by offering to help, and bystanders encouraged Reymundo to go to the hospital.
Perea was there as well and said that Reymundo didn’t want to go to the hospital, but the Mission Station captain said he personally drove the vendor and one of his newfound friends to St. Luke’s.
At Reymundo’s court date on Tuesday, Sanroman and other new found friends accompanied him and met with unexpected success.
The Department of Public Health waived the fine.
Dr. Johnson Ojo, the program manager, told the group he would let this incident be a learning experience for other vendors.
“The way that the city has the permit license system set up it’s really difficult for someone who doesn’t understand the system,” said Sanroman.
She and other helpers have now organized themselves under the name “Reymundo Matters,” to work with employees of the Department of Public Health to help Reymundo through the permitting process. He sells churros and sends money to his family in Mexico.
What’s more, Sanroman started a GoFundMe campaign for Reymundo. The original goal was to raise $200 to cover his fine, and, if people were willing to give more, the funds would cover potential hospital bills, replace his churro cart, and pay for his permits to sell churros.
They haven’t yet told Reymundo that they raised $2,575 and they have extended their goal to $3,000. You can find the “Reymundo Matters,” campaign and donate here.
Interesting …. Cops hustle a poor elderly men who’s just trying to make ends meet I mean let’s be real he’s never gonna get rich by selling churros out on the street
But yet those same cops don’t go to 16 and mission and san for a selling permit to all the “good citizens ” who sell all sorts of illegal ” stuff ” on broad day light in plain sight of mothers with ther young ones
I’ve done a lot of thinking an I came to the conclusion that triying to make an honest living it’s no longer the way to go
He’s a nice guy. I get one from him whenever he’s outside Casa Lucas.