Title: 1992 - LA Riots

 

About: Neighbourhoods across South and Central Los Angeles went up in flames, with widespread  rioting and looting following the acquittal of four police officers accused of excessive force during the arrest and beating of Rodney King.

 

Early on March 3, 1991, an intoxicated parolee named Rodney King led police on a high-speed car chase before stopping in Lakeview Terrace. A resident filmed his subsequent beating, which left him with a fractured skull and cheekbone, and forwarded it to local station KTLA. Within days, the footage of police repeatedly hitting a black man with batons was airing on all major networks, drumming up nationwide outrage against the officers involved.

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The officers were indicted, but when theverdict of the trial was given on April 29, all four were acquitted of charges. The response was immediate, as angry protesters took to the streets. Hundreds of people gathered at the LA County Courthouse to protest the verdict. By early evening., the unrest had grown violent near the intersection of Florence and Normandie Avenues in South L.A., where locals attacked passing motorists and forced overwhelmed LAPD officers to retreat.

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In a matter of hours, neighborhoods across South and Central Los Angeles were in flames as rioters firebombed thousands of buildings, smashed windows, looted stores and even attacked the Parker Center police headquarters in downtown L.A. By the end of the day, California Governor Wilson had declared a state of emergency and the National Guard were deployed.  By 2 May, order had been largely restored.

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The final tally for the L.A. riots included 2,000 injuries, 12,000 arrests and 63 deaths attributed to the uprising. Upwards of 3,000 buildings were burned or destroyed and 3,000 businesses were affected as part of the $1 billion in damages sustained by the city.

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The chaos and anger seen in LA was a response to systemic inequality and victimization faced by black and minority communities.​ 

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Decade: 1990s

Year: 1992

Region: North America

Country: USA
Politics: Protest

Society: Race Relations
Society: Crime

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Type: Historical Event

Impact: 4

Artist: Ianika Morano

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Group: Genesis

Number: 92/100

Price: 0.4 ETH

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