{"id":441239,"date":"2026-08-23T13:18:36","date_gmt":"2026-08-23T13:18:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/441239\/"},"modified":"2026-08-23T13:18:36","modified_gmt":"2026-08-23T13:18:36","slug":"amazon-said-it-screwed-up-but-a-video-at-a-san-diego-park-raises-questions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/441239\/","title":{"rendered":"Amazon said it ‘screwed up,’ but a video at a San Diego park raises questions"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera speaks at a press conference Wednesday Aug. 19, 2026 to object to Amazon\u2019s use of a public park to transfer packages. (Photo by Tessa Balc\/Times of San Diego)<\/p>\n

A video of Amazon workers<\/a> using a parking lot at a public park as a package transfer site has been circulating on the internet, and is adding fuel to one councilmember\u2019s rallying cry for residents.<\/p>\n

Crown Point resident Tom Lemmon took the video of Amazon workers setting up their trucks to complete distribution. It began circulating on Saturday.<\/p>\n

The footage caught the attention of former\u00a0California Assemblymember Lorena Gonzales Fletcher, now president of the California Labor Federation, along with Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera. He decided to take a stand against the online giant\u2019s potential encroachment on public land, particularly when the city has been cracking down on local residents who try to host gatherings without proper permits.<\/p>\n

The brouhaha is over Amazon\u2019s new \u201cwalkers\u201d program, in which delivery workers grab packages from nearby staging areas \u2014 Crown Point Park on the day Lemmon shot the video \u2014 and hoof it to take them to customers in high-density communities. <\/p>\n

Multiple other locations like New York City have rolled out the on-foot delivery system, setting up staging areas on both public and private property. <\/p>\n

Amazon spokesperson Austin Stowe, however, said Wednesday that the company \u201cscrewed up,\u201d explaining that there was a misunderstanding over communications between the company and City Hall regarding stipulations for operating its new program within city limits.<\/p>\n

He said the company already has corrected the error. There have not been any additional reported sightings of Amazon using public spaces for distribution.<\/p>\n

But Elo-Rivera isn\u2019t buying Amazon\u2019s explanation.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo one accidentally runs a distribution operation out of a park,\u201d he said at a Wednesday press conference at Crown Point Park. \u201cIt wasn\u2019t a mistake. Amazon made a calculation that nobody noticed and if someone did nobody would do anything about it.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey got caught so they called it an accident.\u201d<\/p>\n

Despite the issue with the video, and Amazon\u2019s quick claim of responsibility, the row among residents, online observers and local leaders resurfaced a consistent concern for the District 9 representative \u2013 that corporations, not residents, often come first.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s taken up this mantle against a range of corporate giants, including Waymo, which is launching driverless service in San Diego, and Airbnb, which fought his failed attempt to tax certain short-term vacation rentals<\/a>.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s now, in light of the Amazon development, considering how the city helps San Diegans navigate issuing permits for the use of park space. From yoga teachers and remote-work hosts to DJs and influencers, the city has stepped in to pause free events as they have grown popular and attracted crowds that require organizers to obtain permits.<\/p>\n

In one case in particular, DJ Daniel Joseph went back and forth<\/a> with the city on obtaining permits after a few too many people showed up to a set. He\u2019s been able to continue on account of his popularity \u2014 although this is also what gets him into trouble \u2014 and the connections he\u2019s developed by cooperating with City Hall.<\/p>\n

Winyl Club, a meet-up for those who love wine and vinyl records, wasn\u2019t so lucky.<\/p>\n

Recently, the group posted a video on its social media directly calling out the city for indefinitely stalling events. Winyl Club essentially waved a white flag, telling supporters to organize gatherings on their own. <\/p>\n

Chris Walker, the co-founder of Winyl Club, joined Elo-Rivera at the press conference, along with representatives from labor groups.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Walker now sees benefit to entering the political arena, especially if he wants to rebrand the club and once again try organizing events. This time, he said, he would better educate attendees on the requirements for hosting a city-sanctioned event \u2014 both in terms of cash and conduct.<\/p>\n

His main focus, for now, is creating a space for San Diegans to be outside together.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs long as we have that be the main focus, I think having (to) kind of be political can definitely help and open more doors,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

But for Walker, it\u2019s frustrating to see an out-of-town company using a park to maximize profits, especially when it is difficult for San Diegans to obtain access to city parks in the first place.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople like us, artists, DJs, community organizers have to go through permits, lack of communication and, of course, stuff that doesn\u2019t always get shown right away. Because of that, we have to jump through these hurdles to put on free events for the community. It leads me to ask this question: if these spaces are for the public, then why isn\u2019t there more accessible pathways for the public to use them?\u201d<\/p>\n

Permits or written permission could also be granted to a business like Amazon to lawfully continue operations from parks like in Crown Point.<\/p>\n

But that\u2019s not what Elo-Rivera wants.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have zero interest in seeing our parks turned into distribution centers for a trillion-dollar corporation,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Instead, Elo-Rivera put in a request with the City Attorney\u2019s Office to see what action, if any, can be taken to bar the nearly $2.9 trillion company from operating in public parks. <\/p>\n

The City Attorney\u2019s office said they could not comment on the status of his request; Elo-Rivera\u2019s team also said they have yet to receive word. <\/p>\n