LAGUNA BEACH, Calif. (KABC) — A Laguna Beach marriage proposal went viral after a woman confronted a camera crew preparing to photograph the moment and made racist comments that were caught on camera.
The incident happened Friday at Crescent Bay Point Park, where Emmanuel Banuelos had arranged for flowers and a mariachi band before proposing to his girlfriend, Hayley Lugo.
Video of the encounter shows a woman addressing the camera crew and telling them to “go back to Mexico.”
Trinity Lugo of Trinity Films, who photographed the proposal and is Hayley Lugo’s sister, said she was shocked by the encounter.
“I couldn’t believe I was being told those words. At first I thought, you know, she was just a normal Karen,” Lugo said.
Lugo said she chose not to escalate the situation because she didn’t want to disrupt the occasion.
“It was a really special moment. That’s part of the reason why I really didn’t want to make the situation any worse,” she said.
According to those involved, Lugo had set up his camera before the couple arrived when a woman walking her dog approached and complained about the setup.
Video captured the exchange, including the woman saying she called police and was frustrated by what she described as recurring events at the location.
As mariachi music began to play, the woman made additional remarks, including: “It’s not Mexico either, you (explicit)” and “Go back to Mexico! “
Banuelos said he chose the oceanfront gazebo for the proposal and included mariachi music because of Hayley Lugo’s appreciation.
“She actually loves mariachis, so I really wanted it. She fell in love with it,” Banuelos said.
Hayley Lugo said she became aware of the confrontation and was then stunned when she watched the video, which has since spread widely online.
“It hurts a lot because it’s not just us there. She’s mean to all of Mexican culture, all of Hispanic culture, as everyone has felt,” she said.
Despite the incident, the couple said they didn’t let the comments overshadow their engagement and hoped the viral video would be thought-provoking.
“You can’t do that anymore. Like it’s not right. You never know if you’re going to be in the next viral moment, like if you can get anything out of it, you don’t want to be that lady,” Hayley Lugo said.
In a statement, the city of Laguna Beach said planned installations and professional photography are subject to specific rules and permit requirements. The city also said it rejects the hateful language and behavior shown in the video.
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