Tipsheet

Los Angeles Fire Victims Were Silenced During Peaceful Rose Bowl Parade Protest

Amy Curtis
Amy Curtis  |  January 02, 2026 1:30 PM

Survivors of last year's Los Angeles wildfires were dealt another slap in the face during the Rose Bowl Parade yesterday. In videos posted all over social media, a float carrying survivors was seen with a survivor holding a sign calling on Attorney General Rob Bonta to investigate the deadly Eaton Fire in Altadena.

"AG Bonta," the sign read, "Altadena demands an investigation."

After the float passes the cameras, a raincoat-clad individual approaches it, grabs the sign, and crumples it up.

Houman David Hemmati, a Santa Monica-based doctor, also shared the video and said officials were "spitting in their faces" again.

"Ironically, the announcer was celebrating the $100 Fire Aid $ that never really went to fire victims!Perhaps that float should instead have had @GavinNewsom shouting “Let it Burn” with @MayorOfLA@KarenBassLA riding a plane to Ghana!" Hemmati wrote on X.

Seedorff also gave a report on Good Nite LA about the viral moment.

"That message shows how angry some fire victims are now, one year later," Seedorff said. "But some say it was the wrong time and place."

"It's a call for accountability and answers, and I don't think that's unreasonable," said attorney Shant Karnikian, who is representing fire victims. "I don't think that's offensive and, in fact, silencing that voice, silencing that request, I think, is what is offensive and outrageous."

"The attorney general has the power to investigate," Karnikian continued, "whether it's public officials, whether it's charitable organizations. It's not an unreasonable request. It's nothing crazy. It's nothing far-fetched."

"While we respect a person's need to make the statement, and everybody wants to get to the bottom of the answers of this issue, it was just not the right time," said Jim Cragg, a fire survivor who was on the float. 

"A big concern is donors backing away," Cragg continued, "and when the donors that are bringing hundreds of millions of dollars potentially to our people in need, see that and they close the checkbook, that's hurting our population."

A Pasadena Tournament of Roses spokesperson issued a statement that said, "The signage referenced was not part of the official float entry."

Back before Thanksgiving, local media tried to tout rebuilding in the Pacific Palisades, saying the first rebuilt home received its occupancy permit. Not only is that just one of the 7,000 structures destroyed — at that rate, it'll take 5,833 years to rebuild Los Angeles.

There was just one problem with that: the house in question was not destroyed in the wildfires. It was a showcase home built pre-fire, starting with the planned demolition of a one-story structure, and it wa classified as a "non-eligible" project.

California government, ladies and gentlemen.

So it's completely understandable why Altadena survivors are fed up and demanding answers, and there's no doubt in our minds that if Republicans were in charge, the AG would be quick to hold them accountable for this unmitigated disaster.

But Gavin Newsom and Karen Bass aren't Republicans, so it's (D)ifferent.