Killer Cop Landlord Evicts Suehiro

Sign the Little Tokyo Community Boycott Pledge

This fight has come to a head with the illegal eviction of one of the oldest restaurants in Little Tokyo, Suehiro Cafe.

We must stop killer cop and slumlord heir, Anthony Sperl’s scheme to warp Little Tokyo into “something that resembles Melrose.”

Little Tokyo is one of the last Japantowns in the country, with our community shrinking each day at the hands of gentrification and the violent policing that enforces it. The developers, landlords, and corrupt politicians are stealing Little Tokyo from right beneath our feet. We are surrounded by LAPD headquarters, Dept of Homeland Security, and Men’s Central Jail. Every corner is swarming with private security and Business Improvement District goons, while the Koban hides an LAPD substation under the guise of its label as a “Visitor Center.” Now with the Metro Regional Connector opening, the policing and violence will continue to escalate.

The struggle within our community is very real. Historic First Street North has survived multiple waves of displacement and redevelopment, including the WWII Japanese Amerikan incarceration in concentration camps. Today we continue to be held hostage by the developers and landlords as they bring skyrocketing rents that are once again forcing us out of our own community.

Suehiro Cafe's eviction is set for January 16th. Tony Sperl, the landlord of Suehiro Cafe wants to replace it with a marijuana dispensary. We've sent Sperl our boycott pledge and asked him to meet with the Little Tokyo community before setting up any new business in Suehiro's place, but we've heard nothing but silence in return.
Our community is disappearing before our very eyes. Another long-standing community business, Little Tokyo Arts & Gifts, received an eviction notice in the last few weeks. Mark Falcone and Continuum Partners' incoming Cold Storage luxury development on 4th and Central threatens to fundamentally reshape our neighborhood. Kenji Suzuki, owner of Suehiro Cafe, has said that he wants to return to Little Tokyo some day. But if we don't start fighting back against predatory landlords and developers, there won't be a Little Tokyo for Kenji to come back to.

If Sperl won't listen to our community, then he has no right to do business in our community. Join us on Tuesday, January 16th, at 1:30pm in front of Suehiro Cafe on 1st St. N, for a rally to show Sperl that we're ready to boycott if he doesn't start respecting Little Tokyo. Let's show every predatory landlord and/or developer in Little Tokyo that we won't let them gentrify our community!
We hope to see you there.

Little Tokyo Against Gentrification
J-Town Action と Solidarity 
Save Our Seniors Network
Greater Los Angeles JACL



Link to JAS Twitter Thread



Link to LA Times Article




Link to LA Public Press Article