La Guerre Civil at Venice Beach, CA?

[marmar]

As economy sours, vendors crowd into Venice Beach
By CHRISTINA HOAG, Associated Press Writer – Sun Mar 28, 3:30 pm ET


LOS ANGELES – Sand and surf are the least of the attractions making Venice Beach one of Los Angeles' top tourist draws.

On summer weekends, some 150,000 exhibitionists and gawkers flock to the neighborhood to see and be seen in a Bohemian rhapsody of bongo-bangers, dreadlocked artists and acrobatic gymnasts.

In recent months, though, that freewheeling hippie circus has gotten edgy thanks to a stubbornly sour economy heightening competition for the 200 peddler spaces along the 1.5-mile long asphalt strip bordering the beach.

That has longtime storeowners and artists steamed, and residents in the rapidly gentrifying neighborhood clamoring for a clamp down on the increased noise and transients.

"It's become a real free-for-all, really aggressive," said Therese Dietlin, who has distributed alternative political literature for nine years on the boardwalk, which is lined with cafes, medical marijuana clinics and souvenir shops. .........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100328/ap_on_re_us/us_venice_boardwalk

[kestrel91316]

1. I've been here 28 years, and Venice Beach has ALWAYS been

a complete zoo.

[dhill926]

2. yep.......

that's what makes it great......never, ever dull......