Merchants in Los Angeles are engaged in a legal fight to preserve a nearly century-old cross and a longstanding Nativity display on Olvera Street, arguing that their removal could endanger Mexican-American traditions and religious monuments across the country.
Andrea Butler, counsel at Becket and lead attorney for the merchants, stated that the removal of the cross and Nativity scene would be a precursor to unraveling community cultural celebrations rooted in Mexican-American Catholic history. The cross has been a fixture at the head of Olvera Street since 1929, initially erected to commemorate Los Angeles' 148th birthday. Each December, a life-size Nativity scene is displayed as part of the traditional Las Posadas celebration.
Last year, a lawsuit was filed against the city by a resident who claimed the displays were offensive and exclusionary to non-believers, requesting their removal or covering. The religious-liberty group Becket, representing the merchants, filed a motion with the Ninth Circuit to allow the Olvera Street Merchants Association Foundation to join the legal proceedings. The merchants aim to defend religious and cultural traditions that their families have helped maintain for generations.
Olvera Street, located in El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument, attracts millions of visitors annually. The area is near the original site of the city's founding and holds significant historical and cultural value, particularly regarding Mexican-American heritage. The restoration efforts in the 1930s led to the formation of the Olvera Street Market, where many current vendors' families have been operating since that decade.
Butler emphasized that many of the merchants are third or fourth-generation members of the community and consider the cross and Nativity integral components of long-standing history and tradition. The case, she explained, hinges on whether the First Amendment will be upheld to protect these displays. Becket contends that religion is a natural part of human culture and history that should be celebrated, not removed due to potential offense.
Valerie Hanley, treasurer of the Olvera Street Merchants Association Foundation, commented that Olvera Street is central to both family heritage and the history of Los Angeles, suggesting that a single offended individual should not dictate which parts of the city's story can be shared.