Los Angeles neighbourhood planning protest over 'Fast and Furious' car stunts

While fans around the world are eagerly awaiting the 10th instalment of the Fast and Furious franchise, the same cannot be said of some residents in Los Angeles’ Angelino Heights neighbourhood.

It’s a part of LA that has attracted car enthusiasts from across the world due to the success of the high-octane movies, the first of which was released back in 2001. The latest film in the series is called Fast X and it will hit the big screens next May.

In the meantime, fans have headed over to Angelino Heights to look at Bob’s Market, which is owned by Dominic Toretto (played by Vin Diesel) and his Victorian house.

Some have been content to merely take pictures of these sights, but others have seemingly gone too far, as motorists have reportedly been spotted doing high-speed donuts in front of the store, as well as conducting what are known as 'street takeovers' in the area.

Variety reports that residents have seemingly had enough of the speedster antics, and will run a protest against the upcoming Fast X shoot.

They are fed up with the effects of street racing, while traffic fatalities and pedestrian deaths have continued to rise in the area.

Variety managed to get hold of an email from a resident sent to the Los Angeles City Council, which read: “If this film shoot is allowed to go forward in Angelino Heights, or any part of it from F10 Productions (Universal) … we will stage a protest and will invite many reporters and news cameras to film us protesting this film shoot all day and night.

“We will hold this protest to honor the 178 people who have been killed by street racers in Los Angeles, and to shame Universal for their callous disregard for this deadly epidemic of street racing their films started and continue to promote. The protest is set to take place from 9 a.m. to noon and resume at 5 p.m.”

Incredibly, one resident even had a gun pointed at him by a car enthusiast after he asked the individual to stop doing stunts with his car during the middle of the day.

“In the middle of the daytime I’m trying to work in my office, somebody’s whipping around making all kinds of noise with their car, and I come out and I’m yelling, ‘Would you do this in front of your grandma’s house?’” he told Variety.

"And some kid’s like, ‘What did you say to me?’ And pulls out a gun and pointed at me.

“I’m standing on my porch and he’s on the opposite side of the street. So I wasn’t scared for my life. But anytime someone pulls a gun, it’s a serious thing.”

UNILAD has reached out to Universal for comment.

Despite the concerns raised by Angelino Heights residents, it will do little to dampen the overall enthusiasm ahead of the latest instalment of the franchise.

According to IMDb, the rest of the cast will include, Charlize Theron as Cipher, Vin Diesel as Dominic Toretto, Michelle Rodriguez as Letty Ortiz, Scott Eastwood as Little Nobody, Nathalie Emmanuel as Ramsey, Michael Rooker as Buddy, Jordana Brewster as Mia. Toretto, Sung Kang as Han, Tyrese Gibson as Roman, Ludacris as Tej and Cardi B as Leysa.

Fast X will be out in cinemas on 19 May 2023. 

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