Exclusive | Lake Hollywood Park rocked by wave of truly disgusting acts before food is served

Locals are furious after the park under the Hollywood Sign allegedly sees fruit vendors defecate and urinate before serving food.Exclusive photos obtained by the California Post appear to show unpermitted sellers using the bushes at Lake Hollywood Park before returning to slice and sell products to customers.The images were provided by outraged residents who say they have spent years documenting vendors relieving themselves in the park, dumping wastewater into the street and leaving behind piles of trash while city officials have repeatedly failed to stop the growing operation.“It’s disgusting,” longtime resident Cindy Cobb told the California Post.“They go to the bathroom in the bushes… then they come back.Mind you, there’s no hand washing because there’s no bathroom.

They’re urinating and defecating in a park space, and then they come back and cut fruit.”The allegations come as health officials warn that fresh produce can become contaminated when handled by someone who has not properly washed their hands after using the restroom.The parasite Cyclospora, which causes the intestinal illness cyclosporiasis, spreads when food or water is contaminated with human feces and has frequently been linked to fresh produce.The CDC advises consumers to thoroughly wash fresh fruits and vegetables under clean running water before eating them, while noting that chemical disinfectants may not completely eliminate the parasite.Lake Hollywood Park, the roughly two-acre park beneath the world-famous Hollywood Sign, attracts thousands of visitors each week.Neighbors say not having bathrooms has created an ongoing sanitation problem.They claim vendors routinely disappear into nearby bushes to relieve themselves, then return minutes later to prepare ready-to-eat fruit for tourists.Residents say they have repeatedly reported the issue to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, park rangers, the Bureau of Street Services, Mayor Karen Bass’ office and Counc...