A Latino running group has been run out of a historically black Los Angeles neighborhood after opponents told organizers to find somewhere else to pound the pavement.
Barrio Athletics announced that its Sunday 5K moved from Leimert Park in Crenshaw to Elysian Park near Dodger Stadium following “careful conversation with community leaders.”
What started as a neighborhood dispute over the run quickly turned into showdown over who belongs in one of LA’s most important cultural enclaves.
Barrio Athletics had planned to meet at Leimert Park at 9 a.m. and run along Crenshaw Boulevard, but community members immediately objected, saying the event could disrupt a longstanding Sunday marketplace where black vendors make their living.
The backlash didn’t stop there, as critics accused the Latino run club of using the 5K to “scope out” the neighborhood amid fears of gentrification and displacement.
One user on social media described Leimert Park as “black space” and warned Barrio Athletics that its runners would be “met with resistance from the black community.”
She also characterized the event as a possible “hostile takeover” by the Hispanic community.
Some opponents even threatened to call ICE or confront the Latino runners if they showed up.
Barrio Athletics initially tried to avoid problems by saying it would move its warm-up and 5K starting point so it wouldn’t conflict with the marketplace.
The organization said the change was intended “to respect the local vendors’ space and not cause any disturbance to the market at the park.”
But that wasn’t enough for some opponents.
Najee Ali, director of Project Islamic Hope, called on Mayor Karen Bass to intervene, declaring Leimert Park “the crown jewel and heart and soul of Black Los Angeles.”
Ultimately, Barrio Athletics decided to relocate the 5K.
“We are making this decision to respect Leimert Park and the surrounding community,” the group wrote on Instagram.
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