Residents protest ‘Fast And Furious’ filming

By CBSLA Staff

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    LOS ANGELES, California (KCAL/KCBS) — Believing that that film franchise encourages street takeovers, activists and residents in Angelino Heights are planning to protest the filming of the “Fast and Furious” in their neighborhood.

“We just want to rest,” said resident Martha Rodriguez.

She has lived in Angelino Heights for 27 years and said street takeovers have consumed her weekends, as drivers perform donuts outside her home late and night and early in the morning.

“We could smell that coming right through, 1 o’clock at night,” Rodriguez said. “And you have to wake up because the smell, it’s protruding.”

Rodriguez and other residents upset with the constant street takeovers believe the “Fast and Furious” franchise has led to many people cosplaying as the action heroes. They have teamed up with Streets Are For Everyone executive director Damian Kevitt to organize a protest on Friday as filmmakers shoot scenes for the tenth installment in the franchise.

“We do want to prove a point,” said Kevitt. “We want the pressure to be felt not only on the city but on NBC Universal for a lack of social responsibility.”

Angelino Heights has served as protagonist Dominic Toretto’s home and has made several areas in the neighborhood famous, much to the delight of some.

Since 2001, Bob’s Market on Bellevue Avenue and the Victorian House on East Kensington Road has been fictionally owned by Vin Diesel’s character. Fans of the franchise have flocked to the real-life locations hoping to see the places up close.

“Traveling people, they coming, parking, taking a picture,” said John Hong, the owner of Bob’s Market. “It’s the business. They buy something.”

A strong believer that tourism is great for business, Hong has embraced the filming of the movies even offering “Fast and Furious” merchandise in his store.

Even with the business brought into the area and the compensation paid out by the production unit, Kevitt and other residents of Angelino Heights believe more needs to be done.

“Yes, neighbors are being compensated by the production unit, but how do you compensate a neighbor for the misery that will happen for years and years?” Kevitt said.

NBC Universal has not responded to CBSLA’s request for comment. Similarly, SAFE said residents have tried multiple times to reach out to Councilmember Gil Cedillo to try and stop production, but have yet to get a response. Cedillo’s office has yet to respond to CBSLA’s request for comment.

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