Los Angeles merchants fight to preserve historic Olvera Street cross

Merchants in Los Angeles are intervening in a legal battle to preserve a historic 10-foot wooden cross and an annual Nativity display at Olvera Street. The religious symbols, which date back to 1929, are central to the cultural and Mexican-American heritage of the El Pueblo district.

The legal challenge was initiated by resident Jack Gerritsen, who filed a lawsuit against the city alleging that the displays on public property violate the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause. Gerritsen argues that the religious symbols offend him as an atheist and constitute a Christian endorsement on public land.

While a federal district court previously denied Gerritsen’s request for a preliminary injunction, he has appealed the decision to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. The Olvera Street Merchants Association Foundation, represented by the nonprofit law firm Becket, has filed a motion to join the City of Los Angeles as a defendant to defend the historical and cultural significance of the displays.