A memorial for Michael Jackson was held in downtown Los Angeles on Tuesday at the Staples Centers – and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is asking for help in paying for the expensive ceremony that hosted thousands of fans.
The event, which saw downtown LA flooded with police and shut down traffic across the area, received no known outside funds to cover its costs. Villaraigosa has added a page to the City of LA’s Web site with a PayPal link, asking fans to “help give Michael the world class memorial he deserves.”
“Help the City of Angels provide the extraordinary public safety resources required to give Michael the safe, orderly and respectful memorial he deserves. If you’re a Michael fan, considering giving a small donation to help us celebrate his extraordinary life and music,” the mayor’s statement reads.
The city is also accepting checks.
With tickets to the event offered up for free, AEG, the promoters behind Michael’s now-canceled “This Is It” tour, have not offered to help defray the costs, and the financially strapped city of LA is currently set to shoulder the burden.
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