Thousands Raised For Flower Vendor Attacked In Bakersfield

BAKERSFIELD, CA — A flower vendor who was harassed along the side of a highway in Bakersfield received a check for more than $9,000 after video of the incident last weekend went widespread on TikTok.

Felicito Chavez was selling flowers on 24th Street off the Buck Owens Boulevard median when he was confronted by the man, Bakersfield Now reported.

"From over there he started saying move, move, this is my spot, and then I said, no, no that's OK," Chavez told the local news outlet. "I came all the way over here, and he didn't listen to me."

The TikTok video shows the man who confronted Chavez throwing the flowers onto the highway.

Chavez told Bakersfield Now the man also hit him in the chest.

“He got the buckets, he threw one over here and another over there and the other one he started kicking,” he said.

A local group called 661 Voices Heard, the name a nod to the area code for Bakersfield, helped raise more than $9,000 from the community in just a few days after they got hold of the video, Bakersfield Now and 23ABC News Bakersfield both reported. Chavez was presented a check for the amount this week.

Julie Solis told ABC23 Chavez is “beyond words appreciative.”

“He said when that happened he was actually surprised by the people that came out to help,” Solis said.

Erika Harris, whose Twitter profile says she’s an organizer for the 661 group, told Bakersfield Now the group organized a “cash out,” so Chavez could afford to recover at home and rest with his family.

Harris did not respond immediately to Patch’s request for more information.