Hollywood Walk of Fame stars Selena Quintanilla and Jenni Rivera were vandalized twice with black paint within a 24-hour period.
Rivera, known as “the Diva of the Banda,” received the posthumous honor at a ceremony on June 27, where fans from across the country gathered to celebrate her legacy. Quintanilla received her star in 2017. Both Mexican-American singers are recognized worldwide for their contributions to Latin music. They also faced tragic endings in their lives: Quintanilla was murdered in 1995 and Rivera died in a plane crash in 2012.
The first incident of vandalism occurred Monday morning, said Ana Martinez, vice president of media and talent relations for the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, the organization that oversees and maintains the Walk of Fame. Martinez said she immediately filed a police report and sent a cleanup crew. Videos of kneeling fans cleaning Rivera’s star began circulating online that day.
Marisela Santana, a Rivera fan who attended the dedication ceremony, said she was not surprised that people had shown up to clean the star.
“Just because someone defaced his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame doesn’t mean it has stopped shining,” she said. “I’m glad people took the time to clean it up immediately.”
“It’s not just a trophy for Jenni, it’s a trophy for the community,” said Julie Vasquez, Rivera’s longtime assistant. “In true Jenni fashion, we wouldn’t have had the win without the trials and tribulations. People throw rocks at shiny things, this is no different than all the other recognitions and awards she’s received. I pray this is the last time it gets vandalized.”
On Tuesday morning, the stars were vandalized once again. Martinez said he was inspecting a portion of the Walk of Fame on Vine Street when he noticed black paint on several stars.
“I’ve been doing this for 37 years and I’ve never experienced anything like this. There have been small incidents, where people try to look around to see what star is covered or people paint their names on white stars, but nothing like this,” he said, adding that he asked for an additional cleaning crew and filed a second police report. Martinez said the chamber is looking for surveillance video from nearby establishments to share with authorities.
“My mother’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame is a symbol of her incredible legacy and the impact she had on so many lives,” Jacqie Campos, Rivera’s second-oldest daughter, said in a statement to The Times. “To see her defaced not once, but twice is heartbreaking and deeply disappointing.”
“My family and I hope that those responsible understand the pain they have caused and come to appreciate the significance of this honor. We are committed to preserving his memory and will continue to honor his contributions to music and our community. We also want to extend our sincerest gratitude to the fans for their unwavering support and for helping to restore his star. Their love and dedication mean the world to us.”
