The distinction is politically significant as the public has become increasingly frustrated over homeless camps in Los Angeles and other California cities, seeing them as a blight on neighborhoods and a threat to public safety.
Some critics were quick this weekend to suggest that homeless campers might have been responsible for the latest blaze, which shuttered a freeway traversed by about 300,000 vehicles daily.
“It’s an ongoing issue, but I don’t want to conflate it with the source of this fire,” Mr. de León said.
“We need to see where the investigation goes.”Mayor Karen Bass of Los Angeles similarly urged caution and asked the public to refrain from jumping to conclusions about who had set the fire.
There is no reason to assume that the origin of this fire or the reason this fire happened was because there were unhoused individuals nearby.”
Persons:
Kevin de León, Mr, de León, Karen Bass, ”, “
Locations:
Los Angeles, California, Angeles