Martha Kalifatidis declares crime-ridden Los Angeles as ‘horrific’

Martha Kalifatidis has doubled down on her criticism of Los Angeles.

The Married At First Sight star took to her Instagram Stories on Monday to brand the City of Angels ‘a s**thole’ from her New York City accommodation.

‘L.A. was a s**thole and it was horrific, I highly recommend you do not go there for a holiday,’ said the 31-year-old.

However she was far more positive about New York, telling her fans, ‘New York is amazing [but] it is freezing.’

She later added, ‘New York is stunning. Yes, New York is always a little bit dodgy but that’s New York.’

Martha had earlier revealed that she and her fiancé Michael Brunelli had jetted into town in a bid to find the perfect wedding dress for their impending nuptials.

The reality TV star couple had earlier visited Mexico after leaving Los Angeles.

Martha had celebrated the new leg of her journey by posing for a glamorous, night-time photo shoot at their accomodation.

‘But I’m feeling goood! [chilli emoji]’, she captioned the post, perhaps referencing her relief after fleeing Los Angeles.

Showcasing her curves in a sparkly blue dress, the Kim Kardashian lookalike oozed sophistication as she posed barefoot on the sand.

Martha wore her raven hair out in loose waves and enhanced her features with a dramatic application of makeup.

She completed her look with a silver evening bag, hoop earrings and a diamond choker necklace.

Martha sparked debate on Monday after she shared an Instagram Story post revealing the dark reality of crime in LA, after seeing a ‘lifeless body’ on the road in West Hollywood during her trip last week.

‘Guys, LA was terrible! We went back because we loved it so much when we were there 2 years ago… but it’s not the same,’ the reality star wrote.

‘It’s changed so much since Covid. The homelessness situation is so bad. I can’t even begin to describe it,’ she continued.

Martha went on to express her horror after seeing a ‘lifeless body’ on the road in West Hollywood.

‘We drove past a lifeless body face down in the gutter outside a gas station on Melrose, f**king Melrose!’ she explained.

‘Ppl driving and walking past it completely unbothered! It was horrific, I couldn’t eat for the rest of the day after seeing that. I felt sick.’

Martha’s trip was filled with visits to celebrity hotspots including Craig’s in West Hollywood and Kim Kardashian’s favourite restaurant Nobu in Malibu.

However, the brunette said she felt a constant sense of unease after speaking to locals.

‘The crime rate is up 300%! Every Uber driver told us to beware, don’t wear anything flashy because ppl have been getting robbed at gunpoint. Nowhere is safe,’ she warned, adding: ‘Even Beverly Hills is super dangerous and experiencing violence crimes daily.’

Martha insisted that she had no idea about California’s crime and homelessness crisis.

‘The news over here is so different, we don’t hear about anything going on, so we booked a stay here completely unaware. The mayor or LA just announced any tourist wanting to visit should stay away!’ she wrote.

The Celebrity Apprentice star said she and Michael won’t be returning to America any time soon. ‘It’s such a scary time, we are so lucky in Australia! I will not be coming back to LA / USA for a very long time! It’s been horrifying! We felt completely unsafe the entire time!’ she wrote.

However, Martha has since been slammed by trolls who disagreed with her grim portrayal of the Californian city.

Martha hit back at these critics on Instagram Stories, writing: ‘So many people coming for me in the DMs. I’m not saying all of America is [trashcan emoji]. Only talking about my experience.’

‘I had fun, went to the basketball, was epic! Lol that’s about it to be honest, honestly the rest was a complete waste of time and money,’ she fumed.

Martha insisted she ‘wasn’t complaining’ but instead wanted to warn others so ‘they don’t make the same mistake’ by travelling there.

She also claimed LA has little to offer Australian travellers these days, and that it just isn’t worth enduring the city’s crime and homelessness for the sake of a holiday.

‘Australia has caught up, we’re no longer behind the USA in terms of fashion and shopping etc. I would argue we’re ahead in terms of retail / shopping and hospitality / food at the moment,’ she said.

Responding directly to her critics, Martha added: ‘Also, if you don’t agree with me, that’s cool. Just scroll past. I’ve always had so much love for the U.S., I grew up there [heartbreak emoji].’

With a homeless population of nearly 64,000 and a surge in violent crime, Los Angeles has struggled to emerge from the wreckage of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Further, researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles, have found that nearly 1,493 people experiencing homelessness died on the city’s streets between March 2020 and July 2021.

The most common cause of death among the alleged homeless population was an alcohol or drug overdose.