LOS ANGELES – The cumbia band Vilma Díaz y la Sonora will perform July 26 at Levitt Pavilion Los Angeles, after their June 21 concert was canceled when immigration raids began in the MacArthur Park area.
The rescheduled performance marks the return of the only artist whose show was postponed since Levitt Pavilion resumed its summer concert series last month with rock band Dengue Fever.
Nearly 2,800 people have been arrested in the L.A. area since immigration enforcement operations began in early June, the Department of Homeland Security reported. Federal agents accompanied by National Guard members conducted operations at MacArthur Park on a Monday morning, though it remains unclear if anyone was arrested during that sweep.
“Our safety is not guaranteed in places that are supposed to be our sanctuaries, like hospitals, schools and other places, so we might as well continue to come together in the heart of our city,” Levitt LA executive director Allegra Padilla said.
The venue canceled only its June 21 season opener amid the enforcement activities. Rumors of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity had spread in the Westlake area before the operations began.
Levitt Pavilion will continue Saturday concerts through Aug. 30, featuring acts including Medusa, Eddie Chacon, Wazumbians, La Resistencia, Kinky and Redd Kross. The organization has provided private security and shared information about immigration rights through social media.
Padilla said the concerts will stream live on Facebook and YouTube for residents who are “afraid to leave their homes” because of the raids.
Attendance was lower than previous years at the June 28 performance, Padilla said. The venue has operated free concerts for 18 years, previously hosting Grammy-winning band Los Lobos, cumbia group Sonora Dinamita and L.A. rock band La Santa Cecilia.
The organization has identified alternative venues if MacArthur Park becomes unavailable for programming.
“We’re lucky to have a network of venues that are willing to support us in the case that we may have to make a shift,” Padilla said.
