California Bride-to-Be Gifted Wedding Dress After Racist Outburst Disrupts Proposal
A local bridal shop owner offered a free gown to Hayley Lugo, whose proposal was interrupted by a woman's racist tirade captured on video.
A California bride-to-be received a wedding dress from a local shop owner after her proposal was interrupted by a woman's racist outburst. Hayley Lugo was celebrating her engagement at Crescent Bay Point Park in Laguna Beach on October 2 when a woman approached her and her fiancé, Emmanuel Banuelos, shouting.
The incident, captured on Meta glasses worn by Lugo's sister, shows the woman telling the couple and their camera crew to leave the park and making racist remarks. The woman can be heard yelling, "Go back to Mexico" and "This isn't Mexico either, you motherf*****s." The woman also threatened to call the police.
Lisa Clark, owner of Saint Clark Bridal Suite in Monrovia, saw the viral video and offered Lugo a wedding dress. "I feel very blessed to be receiving the gown, and there are still a lot of kind people out there willing to help us despite what happened," Lugo told CBS News. Clark stated her gesture was a message that "love always wins."
The proposal footage has garnered millions of views across social media platforms. Lugo expressed her sadness over the incident, telling ABC 7, "It hurts a lot because it’s not just us there. She’s being mean to the whole Mexican culture, the whole Hispanic culture, like everyone’s felt it."
A spokesperson for the city of Laguna Beach confirmed awareness of the video and stated that the city does not condone hateful language or behavior. "Laguna Beach's parks and beaches are open to everyone and are regularly the backdrop to celebrate milestones," the spokesperson said.
Despite the disruption, Lugo and Banuelos were able to enjoy their proposal and later celebrated with a surprise engagement party.