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Eyewitness News
13-07-2025
- General
- Eyewitness News
Why safety on Table Mountain needs all of us
JP Louw 9 July 2025 | 12:53 Table Mountain in Cape Town, South Africa. Picture: Falco/Pixabay Table Mountain National Park (TMNP) is a vast park of some 225 square kilometers that is mostly openly accessible with no borders or gates. In fact, whilst others consider it to be a national park in a city, others say that Cape Town is actually a city in a national park. The beauty of this national park is breathtaking. But beauty can become danger if basic safety rules are ignored. That's why SANParks continues to issue safety guidelines, and recent incidents prove just how vital those messages are. But what is the use of signage, media engagements, awareness blitzes, loud hailers, and all other efforts to get the message out when, at a partnership level, we do not seek to join efforts to push back against criminal elements? For context and not wishing to nitpick, a few scenarios will illustrate this aptly. A young lady was stranded at about 8pm on a Friday night with no cellphone or cash. Our rangers, whilst on a routine safety patrol, came across her and offered assistance. In another instance, a group of ladies in their late teens and early twenties were also found walking from Signal Hill to Lion's Head by themselves at night. This is unsafe, as we advise hikers not to hike at night. For the sake of better understanding for non-Cape Town residents, Lions Head is a hill on the north side of Table Mountain that forms two beautiful peaks that are overlooking the central business district on the one side and Camps Bay and the beach on the other side. This hill then slopes down in the form of a lion's rump, where Signal Hill is located. The actions of rangers from Table Mountain National Park (TMNP) were nothing short of heroic. At a time when some may question the responsiveness of public services, SANParks has again proven its commitment not only to preserving nature, but also to protect people. But as we call for a partnership to work together, we are, of course, not excusing SANParks and its management of its responsibilities. For its part, SANParks has implemented the following: • Increased the ranger corps and other support functions in TMNP by 49% (with a 43% increase in conservation staff), including increasing the SEAM Special Operations team from 16 to 40 rangers.• Aerial deployment of the SANParks helicopter over peak visitor seasons to augment ground operations.• Joint operations with SAPS, City Law Enforcement, Metro Police and community safety initiatives.• Information sharing and joint deployment through the Table Mountain Safety Forum, held every 2nd week. • Targeted operations managed through the Operations Centre of SANParks and Fusion Centre of City of Cape Town. Debates about doing or spending more will, of course, rage on. Sadly, there are others who have no understanding of South Africa's successful and world-class conservation model that saved species like Bontebok and the Mountain Zebra. But that is a matter for another time and space, which clearly needs SANParks to introspect about the means to provide better education and information about its successful workings. Importantly, while we are engaged in debates, we should not lose sight of the positive strides that are being made. The recent rescues on Signal Hill and Lion's Head are not isolated moments of luck but ongoing, strategic investments in safety efforts. SANParks doesn't merely manage land, it manages risk, human behaviour, and unpredictable variables that come with urban-adjacent natural beauty. But we are also well aware of the critical need to partner with users of Table Mountain National Park to push back against criminal elements. It is also against this understanding that we continue inviting all who are keen to constructively support this effort to join hands. An interesting case scenario is from Reunion, an island in the Indian Ocean. Similar to Cape Town, they are both popular travel destinations, have natural beauty and diversity, and are surrounded by the ocean. Reunion ran a 10-year campaign with residents living around the park to switch off their lights during the Petrel's fledgling period when they are learning to fly. The Petrel is an endangered bird species, and this action was intended to reduce the mortality of these fledglings by switching off the bright lights. Artificial lights were known to induce mass mortality of four species of petrels. When birds saw the night light, they thought it was daytime and would jump to learn how to fly, but could not orientate themselves and would die from the fall. There was active support and participation from communities which also fostered a sense of national pride. Between January 1996 to December 2021, the rescue campaign prevented the death of more than 35,000 birds. Partnership is vital between us, as SANParks, and visitors. Our discourse must be focused more on collaboration that can mobilise positive actions and adherence to safety notices that are shared repeatedly. We need a partnership with visitors to improve safety on the mountain, whether from hazards like injuries which can occur because of the terrain or potential criminals lurking in the shadows. We can put out messages, but we need communities and hikers to embrace and act on these messages to ensure that everyone can enjoy the beauty of the mountain and its hiking trails. JP Louw is SANParks Head of Communications and spokesperson.
Business Wire
09-07-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Sysdig Launches Open Source Community to Unite and Empower Millions of Cloud Security Innovators and Builders of All Levels
SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sysdig, the leader in real-time cloud security, today announced the Sysdig Open Source Community, a new global hub connecting users of its open source tools, including Falco, Wireshark, Stratoshark, and sysdig OSS. The community, designed to unify and support the worldwide ecosystem of security professionals, developers, engineers, analysts, and students, will go beyond technical collaboration. It will also offer professional development opportunities, including certification programs, job and freelance boards, mentorship pairing, and a dedicated student support center. @Sysdig launches Open Source Community to unite and empower millions of cloud security innovators and builders of all levels. Learn more: Share 'To me, the Sysdig Open Source Community creates a vital feedback loop – a place where I can see how others are adapting to new threats, learn about new tools, and share best practices with professionals across the globe,' said Edgaras Apšega, Site Reliability Engineer at Vinted and Falco user. 'Falco has given me the flexibility to tailor threat detection to my organization's needs, but staying ahead means constantly evolving.' With the Sysdig Open Source Community, the company continues to invest in its commitment to open source by building a global space for users to exchange ideas and expand their skill sets. The need for a unified community was made clear by the January 2025 launch of Stratoshark. Stratoshark, which extends Wireshark's deep network visibility to the cloud by leveraging Falco's ecosystem, began as the technical convergence of the two widely adopted tools. Wireshark has more than 5 million daily users with deep expertise in network analysis and troubleshooting, while Falco has over 4 million users and 1,000 contributors skilled in advanced cloud threat detection. The Sysdig Open Source Community breaks down existing siloes between users across the Sysdig open source software (OSS) ecosystem and connects security professionals in a central global hub. 'The future of security is built on open source, and I believe that as much today as I did more than 20 years ago when Wireshark was born,' said Loris Degioanni, Falco creator and Sysdig Founder and CTO. 'Threat actors are working together – sharing tactics, scripts, and now AI techniques. Instead of fighting an asymmetrical battle, security professionals must do the same. Not only does the Sysdig Open Source Community create a space for them to collaborate and help shape the tools they use, but it delivers an open forum to share what they're seeing on the front lines and form a stronger, more collective defense.' Built in the Open, Shaped by the Community The open source security landscape is evolving rapidly. With growing complexity around cloud environments and a new wave of professionals entering the field, the need for a more connected, resource-rich space has never been greater. The Sysdig Open Source Community delivers a dedicated home for user collaboration across: Wireshark, the world's leading network protocol analyzer, launched in 1998 and downloaded over 160 million times in the last decade alone. sysdig OSS, the foundation of open source system visibility, launched in 2014 for cloud-native forensics and incident response. Falco, the open source standard for threat detection and Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF)-graduated project, launched in 2016 and used by 60% of the Fortune 500. Stratoshark, the open source cloud forensics tool described as 'Wireshark for the cloud,' launched in early 2025 and downloaded more than 40,000 times. In addition to the established user base across the Sysdig OSS ecosystem, the community will be upheld by maintainers of the projects, and Sysdig threat researchers, engineers, and support professionals. While there are many disparate channels for users to ask questions today, the Sysdig Open Source Community is designed to bring those conversations together – fostering deeper collaboration, knowledge sharing, and a stronger sense of connection. Community members will be able to: Collaborate in forums for users of all four technologies, creating an easily searchable record of resources like questions, answers, and best practices. Engage in certification programs that validate their security skills. Peruse job and freelance boards that connect them with career opportunities. Participate in mentorship pairing designed to support both new and experienced professionals. Explore a student support center full of resources to help new technologists break into the industry, or simply work through a problem or project. 'Open source isn't just about lines of code. It's about people, and it's about raising the security standard,' said Gerald Combs, Wireshark creator and Sysdig Director of Open Source Projects. 'There are people who have used tools like Wireshark and Falco throughout their career, and this community gives them a place to learn, innovate, and raise the bar. From helping longtime Wireshark users transfer their expertise directly into the cloud, to helping new users learn the basics of OSS security, there is something for everyone in the Sysdig Open Source Community.' Register Today Registrations to join the Sysdig Open Source Community open today, with a forum grand opening on July 28, 2025. Early registrants will be entered to win four giveaways happening between July 15 and July 25, 2025, with prizes such as paid tuition for certification courses and event registration fees. Community members will also get early access to exclusive sessions and priority notification about upcoming events, like an August online community launch event with Loris Degioanni, Gerald Combs, and Craig McLuckie, co-founder of Kubernetes. Visit to register today. About Sysdig In the cloud, every second counts. Attacks unfold in minutes and security teams must protect the business without slowing it down. Sysdig, named Customers' Choice in the Gartner® 'Voice of the Customer' report for cloud-native application protection platforms (CNAPPs), stops cloud attacks in seconds and instantly detects changes in risk with real-time insights and open source Falco. Sysdig Sage™, the industry's first AI cloud security analyst, uplevels human response and enables security, developers, and DevOps to work together, faster. By correlating signals across cloud workloads, identities, and services, Sysdig uncovers hidden attack paths and prioritizes real risk. From prevention to defense, Sysdig helps enterprises focus on what matters: innovation. Sysdig. Secure Every Second.
BBC News
08-07-2025
- General
- BBC News
The Vienna cemetery where endangered species and biodiversity thrive
In Vienna, Europe's second-largest cemetery has embraced biodiversity – without disturbing the dead. Some of the greats are here. Beethoven, Schubert, Brahms. As well as the Hollywood pin-up-turned-inventor Hedy Lamarr – oh, and Austrian rock icon Falco. This is their final resting place. But tread carefully through the Vienna Central Cemetery in the early hours of the morning and you might catch a glimpse of something moving between the weathered headstones. Not ghosts – but puffy-cheeked European hamsters. They're very much alive. These adorable mammals reside in the Park of Peace and Power on the northern side of the cemetery. Narrow trails on the ground reveal where they have been scurrying lately. Once considered a pest, the hamsters are now critically endangered in Europe. Urbanisation and industrial farming have decimated their habitat in recent decades, and should their population continue to decline, they are likely to be extinct by 2050 according to the IUCN Red List. For now, they're clinging on to life here – in Europe's second-biggest cemetery. As unlikely as it might seem, this place is a perfect home for them. The landscapers are careful not to disrupt their burrows, and visitors like to leave snacks for them. In winter, when their natural food supply runs low, the hamsters often pilfer candles from nearby graves to eat the oil-rich wax. Urban cemeteries are overlooked biodiversity hubs even though they are similarly valuable to urban parks in terms of species conservation. A 2019 review of graveyard biodiversity identified 140 protected species in cemeteries around the world, from the orchids of Turkish cemeteries to the increasingly scarce steppe vegetation found on burial mounds in Eurasia. As places of tranquillity with great cultural and spiritual importance to many, cemeteries have largely missed the effects of urbanisation that have taken place in their surrounding cities during recent centuries. As such, they represent refuges for local wildlife and can serve as stepping stone habitats – small patches of nature that animals use to migrate between larger natural areas. This is especially crucial in cities, where green spaces are shrinking and animal habitats are increasingly fragmented. The wild inhabitants of the vast Vienna Central Cemetery, which spans 2.4 sq km (0.9 sq miles), are watched over by Thomas Filek, researcher at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences in Vienna. Walking across the meadow that has become home to the European hamsters, he points out their small burrows in the tall grass. "We've talked to the gardeners about working in a way that protects biodiversity, and not mowing everything is a big part of it," says Filek. "It's important to think in cycles – it starts with plants, they bring insects, the insects bring birds and so on." Filek has been documenting local biodiversity with the help of citizen scientists here since 2021 as part of a wider project called Biodiversity in the Cemetery (Biodiversität am Friedhof), which encompasses other graveyards around Austria. The project, based at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences in Vienna, receives over 3,000 sighting reports from citizen scientists across different cemeteries every year. Besides the hamsters, the Vienna Central Cemetery is also home to endangered species protected by the EU Habitats Directive including the European Green Toad, the Alpine Longhorn Beetle and the European Ground Squirrel. The Eurasian Hoopoe, which is common in Europe but locally endangered, has also made a home here. In total, Filek and his volunteers have counted more than 240 different animal and plant species here since the project started in 2021. Cemetery biodiversity is a niche field of study, with researchers often focusing on specific species or sections of a cemetery. This makes cross-country comparisons difficult. A citizen science project comes with its own blind spots, admits Filek: "People tend to notice animals that are big and fly around, less so the small stuff". To counter this, they work with university students who research overlooked areas, like the tiny critters that colonise dead wood, as part of their thesis project. The cemetery has been famous for its wildlife long before Filek started documenting it, and is a popular haunt for birdwatchers, wildlife photographers and nature lovers. On this windy spring day, the air is filled with birdsong as two playful squirrels chase each other across the graves and into a nearby tree. Lifting some wooden planks that have been purposefully stacked in the grass after a burial, Filek reveals a microcosm of small insects, bugs and snails. No deer, foxes or hares on this visit – they prefer to keep to themselves and often retreat to quieter sections of the cemetery during the day. Cemeteries are "a mosaic of different habitats," says Ingo Kowarik, an urban ecologist and retired professor at the Technische Universität Berlin who led one of the first comprehensive surveys of cemetery biodiversity at Berlin's Weißensee Jewish Cemetery in 2016. "This means that species from forests, hedgerows, grasslands and even fields can find substitute habitats there." Man-made features such as mausoleums, tombstones and walls may also support plants and animals that would, in the wild, colonise caves, rocks and cliff faces. However, such features can also confuse animals – a 2007 study of a Hungarian cemetery found that black gravestones attract dragonflies because their reflective surface resembles water. Poorly planned or maintained cemeteries can also be a source of soil and groundwater pollution, especially in countries where embalming and casket burials are common, while cremation contributes to air pollution. At the Vienna Central Cemetery, a meadow near the hamster's headquarters is reserved for natural burials, abutting the rows of more traditional graves, covered with stone slabs, ornamental flowers and those delicious candles. Nearby, there are patches of lush forest where final resting places are marked by towering trees and often frequented by deer. "There's an echo of the historical past," says Kowarik, referring to how cemeteries, in general, can preserve wildlife and habitats, even as cities grow up around them. It was while working as a freshly qualified biology teacher that Filek decided to look more closely at the wildlife in his city. "Very few of us will ever make it to Borneo to see the orangutans," he says. "I wanted to show my students what can be done here." More like this:• The surprising benefits of rattlesnakes• Why people are 'meadowscaping' their lawns• When eight people were sealed in a 'mini Earth' Initially, however, Filek couldn't find much information about which species were present in the Central Cemetery. That changed thanks to a conversation with Florian Ivanič, a landscape gardener who has worked at the cemetery since 1982. Ivanič led efforts to turn 10 acres (40,000 sq miles) of unused land in the cemetery into a nature garden in 2011. There, plants and animals are left to their own devices as much as possible, with rockeries, ponds and piles of dead wood providing additional microhabitats. "It was important to me that we have something just for the animals," says Ivanič. "Parks are easy to set up, a landscape architect plans it and then you just mow it. But parks alone are not enough – we need to leave something to nature." Filek was immediately impressed with Ivanič's knowledge. "He knows the cemetery like the back of his hand, he really treasures it," Filek says. "I told him I had this idea for a project highlighting cemeteries as biodiversity hotspots, and he was very supportive." Filek has worked with the Central Cemetery staff to expand the focus on biodiversity beyond the nature garden. This has involved installing nesting boxes and feeders for birds as well as designating some areas for dead wood and rockeries. Elsewhere, patches of grass are left to grow tall and go to seed. Such measures could be implemented by any cemetery, says Filek. "You can create space for nature behind the graves." Informational signs dotted around the cemetery explain the importance of different measures and habitats, with photos of the animals that frequent them. The cemetery also offers a guided tour exploring the hamsters' favourite haunts. "People are starting to appreciate that we have something special here," says Filek. "It creates a synergy between cemetery staff, citizens and scientists, who all work together for something worth protecting." All this effort has begun to pay off. New species such as the locally endangered Eurasian Hoopoe have been sighted in the cemetery since the biodiversity project started. The area's open meadows and old trees reflect the birds' preferred habitat, explains Filek. "By chance, probably also due to changes in the environment, a breeding pair ended up here." Now, five of them are regularly present in the area, and cemetery workers have set up nesting boxes to encourage others to come. Just recently, Filek received the first confirmed sighting of a European Ground Squirrel at the cemetery, a species that is globally endangered and protected under Austrian law. When new graves are dug, the cemetery administration asks Filek for advice, in a bid to minimise disruption to wildlife. For example, only natural burials are allowed near the hamster's burrows, and only in locations where they are not disturbed. But biodiversity efforts need to be balanced with the visitors' expectations of what a well-cared-for cemetery looks like. "Some people want it to be more manicured, and you have to take that very seriously," says Kowarik. "There's nothing wrong with that at all, because intensively manicured areas are also a piece of this habitat mosaic. The secret of biodiversity in cemeteries is that so many different things are possible." Plus, at the end of the day, some of these places are still run as businesses – and that can lead to dilemmas. In Berlin, where most of cemeteries are run privately by religious communities or cemetery associations, many are struggling financially because people are opting for urns over casket burials and spending less on burial plots, says Kowarik. Private cemeteries do not receive funding from the city to maintain their green areas, so they sometimes end up selling their unused land for property development. "We need more green space in cities, not less. Public funds should be used to continue supporting the crucial ecological and social functions of cemeteries," argues Kowarik. But at the Vienna Central Cemetery, making room for nature is still a priority. "For us, a cemetery is more than just a burial site and a place of remembrance – it's also a refuge for people, animals and plants," says Lisa Pernkopf, spokesperson for Friedhöfe Wien GmbH, which manages Vienna's public cemeteries. "We've realised how important our green spaces are, especially with the aim of doing something for the urban climate and biodiversity." Filek's hope is that some parts of the cemetery will eventually become protected under nature conservation laws. He has already discussed his idea with city officials. "We have collected the data," he says. "We know what we have here. Now, we have to protect it – and make sure it stays protected." -- For essential climate news and hopeful developments to your inbox, sign up to the Future Earth newsletter, while The Essential List delivers a handpicked selection of features and insights twice a week. For more science, technology, environment and health stories from the BBC, follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram.
Indianapolis Star
04-07-2025
- Politics
- Indianapolis Star
Indianapolis church doubles down on Pride sermon advocating for harm to LGBTQ people
An independent fundamentalist church in Indianapolis is doubling down on a sermon in which a lay preacher encouraged congregants to pray for the deaths of those who identify as LGBTQ+. The sermon — a mashup of Bible verses dotted with homophobic slurs and tied to Pride Month — was delivered June 29 at Sure Foundation Baptist Church, located in a small storefront near Lafayette Road and West 30th Street. More: Antisemitic incidents spiking in Indiana. North Central student tells her story "Why do I hate sodomites, why do I hate (slur)? Because they attack children, they're coming after your children, they are attacking them in schools today, and not only schools in public places, and they're proud about it!" church member Stephen Falco said during a Men's Preaching Night service. Falco called people who identify as LGBTQ+ "evil" and "disgusting." "There's nothing good to be proud about being a (slur). You ought to blow yourself in the head in the back of the head. You're so disgusting," he said in the sermon the church posted on YouTube. The video-sharing platform has since removed the video for violating its terms of service. Advocates for LGBTQ+ Hoosiers and other religious leaders were quick to denounce what they saw as harmful rhetoric in the sermon first reported by WISH-TV. "Such messages are not only theologically irresponsible but pastorally dangerous," the Concerned Clergy of Indianapolis, a faith-based civil rights organization, said in a statement. "The pulpit must never be used as a weapon to dehumanize, isolate, or incite fear." But the church, in a statement shared July 3 on its Facebook page, leaned into the criticism and proclaimed it would not apologize for the sermon. Instead, the message celebrated the attention the controversy has generated for the church. "The Bible is crystal clear that sodomites — homosexuals — deserve the death penalty carried out by a government that actually cares about the law of God," said the message signed by Evangelist Justin Zhong. G. David Caudill, founder and executive director of Equality Indiana, called the message inflammatory and extremist, saying it could inspire violence against the community. Sure Foundation Baptist Church, in response to questions from IndyStar, said it has about 35 people attend services on an average Sunday. Followers are called "soulwinners" and urged to spread the Gospel. The church website asserts its beliefs are based exclusively on the King James Bible. The Lafayette Road congregation is a branch of the Sure Foundation Baptist Church in Vancouver, Washington, which grew out of Verity Baptist Church in Sacramento, California. The Indy church is the only branch in the Midwest, according to the website, and had its first service Feb. 3, 2024. Zhong is identified as the local leader and is responsible for its day-to-day operations. Beyond its doors, the church has a presence on YouTube, Facebook, X and Rumble, a video-sharing platform that has become a right-wing alternative to YouTube because of its opposition to so-called cancel culture. More: As Trump support merges with Christian nationalism, experts warn of extremist risks "My job as a preacher is to preach the Word of God without compromise. If that means people would be pushed away, then so be it," said the response to IndyStar attributed to Zhong, Falco and the church. "My job is not to please men, but to please God. So many churches tone down the Bible in order to gain a crowd and that is wrong." The church statement said Falco's sermon was delivered as part of a Men's Preaching Night hosted every three months. Any man who is a faithful member can preach, but women are not allowed in the pulpit or any other type of leadership position, the statement said "because it's simply not biblical." Falco's comments on LGBTQ+ Hoosiers weren't his only extreme comments. Nor is he the only one from the men's programs to espouse hateful rhetoric and call for violence against people they see as an abomination or evil — including immigrants, protestors, graffiti taggers, and even those accused of minor crimes such as loitering. In the June sermon, Falco also attacked former President Joe Biden. "I have prayed for death of former President Biden many times for the wickedness he has done when he was in office, you know?" Falco said, mentioning Biden's recent cancer diagnosis. "And I believe many other Christians were also praying for his death, because he's a wicked reprobate." Another man identified in the video as "Brother Wayne" followed Falco at the pulpit that evening with a message titled "Worthy of Being Beaten." He blamed many societal problems on a lack of discipline and physical punishment, calling beatings a deterrent that has been lost in American culture. "I mean, is it really justice to put someone in jail and just let them sit there and get out with a fine or get a slap on the wrist, just to watch them turn around and do it all over again, become a repeat offender. ... If we had public beatings, it'd be much more swift," he said in a video posted on YouTube. His list of those "worthy" of a beating included protesters and those who commit even minor crimes. Some of his harshest words were aimed at immigrants and the LGBTQ+ community. "I don't even understand why we're deporting these illegal criminals who are murderers, who are doing drug trafficking, sex trafficking, human trafficking. They're putting them on a plane, and they're sending them over to a prison in another country," he said. "I say we put them to death right here. I say we beat them right here." As for those who identify as LGBTQ+, he said: "I think they should be put to death. You know what, I'll go further. I think they should be beaten in public first for all their sick and demented, just (slur) and the things they're doing to our schools, to our government, to our institutions, to our churches. These people should be beaten and stomped in the mud, and then they should take a gun and blow the back of their heads off." In another Men's Preaching Night sermon from March, titled "Donald Trump: A Modern Herod," Falco again took the pulpit and called the president a pervert, and accused him of appearing religious to secure political support while having a life of pride, perversion, blasphemy and mockery of Jesus Christ. "This is what Donald Trump, our president of the United States of America, has said about his own flesh-and-blood daughter, and it is disgusting ... 'If Ivanka weren't my daughter, perhaps I'd be dating her,'" Falco said in the sermon. "It's sick. You know, at least Herod had the decency to say that about his stepdaughter." Falco concluded: "Unless Donald Trump gets saved, which I hope he does ... God will judge him for it and he will go to hell." The Concerned Clergy of Indianapolis countered Sure Foundation Baptist Church's message with a Bible verse, saying in its statement the Gospel is for everyone and should not be used a tool of condemnation. The clergy group said the Black Church, born in the crucible of oppression, must never mimic the very spirit of exclusion that once rejected its community. "We are called to be a sanctuary for the marginalized, not a platform for prejudice," the statement said. In standing for the dignity, inclusion and justice for all people, the group said it rejects the notion LGBTQ+ individuals are outside of God's reach, grace or redemption. "True holiness is not about who we hate; it is about how we love," the statement said. "We affirm that sin exists in all of us, we also affirm that God's grace extends to all of us. Our mission is not to decide who is beyond salvation, but to embody the inclusive love of Christ." Caudill, of Equality Indiana, said he is encouraged to see other Indianapolis faith leaders condemn the church's sermon. He's heard similar rhetoric at Pride festivals across the state — it's usually from small groups carrying signs and staging protests near festivities. "It does put my radar up to let those people who are supporters and followers of our organization, on social media and even those that are donors, to let them know we have to be more vigilant and protect ourselves," he said. "When you have that type of hateful and violent language, it could lead to someone taking those words and feeling protected to be able to go and commit violent acts against our community."
Eater
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Eater
A Modern Plant-Based Chinese Restaurant and Tea Lounge Opens in Echo Park
When Minty Zhu and chef Alex Falco moved from Miami to Los Angeles, the husband-and-wife team hit the ground running by scouting locations, initiating pop-ups in Los Angeles's vegan restaurants, and, finally, signing a lease in Echo Park in March 2025. Men & Beasts debuts on June 18 with a modern plant-based twist on Chinese classics and a curated tea program in the former Cosa Buona space. The couple closed their award-winning Miami restaurant, Minty Z, in the summer of 2024, and kept an eye on relocating to Southern California. Six years ago, the couple stayed in an Airbnb just a few blocks from their future restaurant. They finally moved to LA in the fall of 2024. 'We love LA and are very excited to be in this neighborhood and be part of the community,' says Zhu. Zhu and Falco chose their restaurant's name from a quote by the ancient Chinese philosopher Confucius: 'Without feelings of respect, what is there to distinguish men from beasts?' Men & Beasts focuses on reimagining traditional Chinese dishes with seasonal ingredients, a vegan lens, and an all-homemade approach — all of its vegan proteins, doughs, and dim sum are made in house. Zha zhang mian noodles with fried bean sauce and kung pao tofu comprise the wok-fried section, while cold menu dishes include smashed cucumber and spicy tofu. Dim sum options are pan-fried dumplings with shiitake mushrooms, salt and pepper wings made with seitan, baby carrots with black sesame and mint, and a Los Angeles–influenced elote puff with taro, sweet corn, cashew, cilantro, and lime. Only a handful of Los Angeles restaurants offer tea ceremonies in Los Angeles, including Chinatown's Steep LA and Koreatown's Chado Tea Room. Men & Beasts hopes to engage its diners with a Gong Fu tea ceremony. 'We work exclusively with [the Arcadia-based] Yoshantea,' says Zhu. Gong Fu Cha translates to 'making tea with skill' and will follow Taiwanese tea-making traditions. The tea ceremony is $24 per person, or $20 for a pot of jade green oolong, jasmine, and more. They sourced wines from the Angeleno Wine Co. and Moorpark's Friendly Noise, while beers hail from Glendale's Brewyard Beer Company. Non-alcoholic options are Long Beach's Fine Feathers Kombucha, cold brew oolong, and Mexican Coke. The corner of Sunset Boulevard and Alvarado Street is a prime spot for the Men & Beasts. Zhu and Falco spent three months reworking the space by re-exposing the formerly covered bare brick walls, removing the booths, and installing a tea room with a long community table with two- and four-top tables that seat 48. Men & Beasts has a separate tea room lounge that seats 24, plus a private dining area. Echo Park lost a group of vegan (or formerly vegan) restaurants in recent years with the closing of Elf and Sage Regenerative Kitchen. Both changed their menus from plant-based to meat before shuttering to focus on future projects (Elf), or failing to find its footing after adding regenerative meats to the menu (Sage). With Men & Beasts' introduction into the neighborhood, the local community gets a fully vegan option that is betting on itself — and its own unique lens. Men & Beasts is open Tuesday through Sunday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., with weekend brunch service debuting later this summer at 2100 W. Sunset Boulevard, Echo Park, CA, 90026. Secure a table via Resy . See More:
