Another LA County city cancels 4th of July celebrations over 'safety concerns'

Bell Gardens cancels 4th of July over ICE raids

The city of Bell Gardens has canceled its 4th of July festival due to fears over immigration raids. Bell Gardens Mayor Jorgel Chavez says the decision is meant to protect residents.

CUDAHY, Calif. - The city of Cudahy has announced it is postponing its 4th of July celebration event due to "safety concerns."

What we know:

In a statement posted to X on Wednesday, the city cited "recent events and concerns regarding the safety of our residents" as the reasons for the postponement.

The city added that parks will remain open and regular programming will continue as scheduled.

What we don't know:

The city did not say when the event would be rescheduled.

Local perspective:

The city of Bell Gardens also announced it is canceling its 4th of July celebrations, citing the ongoing immigration enforcement activities happening across Southern California.

"Out of an abundance of caution regarding concerns for resident safety over federal immigration enforcement activities, the City of Bell Gardens will be canceling the scheduled events between June 24, 2025 and July 10, 2025, including the Movie Nights on June 26 and July 10 as well as the Independence Day Celebration. All other programming, such as summer day camp, sports, etc., will continue as normal unless individually canceled as necessary," Bell Gardens officials announced on Instagram.

96% of the population in both Cudahy and Bell Gardens is Hispanic or Latino, according to the latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Dig deeper:

This comes as Vice Mayor Cynthia Gonzalez is facing backlash over a controversial video where she apparently calls on local gang members to defend their territories against ICE agents.

"I wanna know where all the cholos are at in Los Angeles. 18th Street, Florencia. Where's the leadership at?... Now that your hood is being invaded by the biggest gang there is, there ain't a peep out of you... Don't be trying to claim no block, no nothing if you're not showing up right now trying to help out and organize," Gonzalez said in the now-deleted TikTok video.

"Don't be trying to claim no block, no nothing," Gonzalez said. "If you're not showing up right now, trying to help out and organize, I don't want to hear a peep out of you once they're gone."

"Whoever is the leadership over there, just get your f*** members in order," she allegedly said towards the end of the video, which was shared publicly last week before it was deleted.

Several Facebook comments on her page were also deleted, as Gonzalez confirmed she was under investigation by federal the FBI.

Gonzalez allegedly wrote, "I need a lawyer. The FBI just came to my house." Adding, "It was about a TikTok that I made that went viral. Literally a TikTok."

In another post Gonzalez allegedly wrote that she, "believes this is a First Amendment rights issue."

The other side:

In a statement, the Los Angeles Police Protective League, which is the union that represents Los Angeles police officers, called for the immediate resignation and prosecution of Gonzalez.

FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller said in a statement, "Per FBI policy, I am unable to confirm or deny an investigation. Generally speaking, of course, the FBI condemns any calls for gang violence or targeting of law enforcement with violence."

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security condemned the comments.

"The comments made by the Vice Mayor of Cudahy, CA, Cynthia Gonzalez, are despicable. She calls for criminal gangs -- including the vicious 18th street gang -- to commit violence against our brave ICE law enforcement," the department said in a Tuesday evening post on X.

"This kind of garbage has led to a more than 500 percent increase in assaults against our ICE law enforcement officers. (Homeland Security) Secretary (Kristi) Noem has been clear: If you assault a federal officer, you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."

Big picture view:

Federal agents continue to ramp up an immigration crackdown after receiving directives from President Donald Trump to set up their efforts in Democratic-run cities.

Those raids were preceded by Trump deploying thousands of additional National Guard troops to the area in response to massive anti-ICE protests across the region.

Gov. Gavin Newsom sued Trump over the move, and a lower court originally sided with Newsom, saying Trump's move was likely unconstitutional.

The recent anti-ICE protests in Los Angeles and Orange counties erupted following widespread anger over the agency's enforcement tactics that began on Friday, June 6.

In addition to downtown LA, Santa Ana also became a hot spot for demonstrators where some protesters have clashed with law enforcement.

One of the latest raids occurred in Pasadena Wednesday afternoon after agents detained six people at a bus stop.

Community leaders reported incidents of ICE appearing at elementary school graduations, disrupting the legitimate immigration processes at various courthouses, and aggressively raiding workplaces and locations like Home Depot. These actions, perceived as arbitrary and invasive, sparked outrage among residents and galvanized the public into widespread demonstrations across Los Angeles County.

The Source: This information is based on official statements from the City of Cudahy and the City of Bell Gardens posted on their respective social media accounts (X and Instagram). It also incorporates details from a now-deleted TikTok video and alleged Facebook posts by Cudahy Vice Mayor Cynthia Gonzalez, as well as official statements from the Los Angeles Police Protective League, the FBI, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Additionally, U.S. Census Bureau data provides demographic context for the mentioned cities.

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