On the afternoon of April 29, 1992, more than 300 angry, confused protesters gathered in front of the Ventura County courthouse. Just an hour before, four LAPD officers (three were white and one was Mexican American) had been acquitted of the vicious, videotaped assault of Rodney King, a black taxi driver. The beating, which consisted of kicks and 56 baton swings, and lasted a reported 15 minutes, left King with a fractured skull, broken bones and teeth, and permanent brain damage. The acquittal in the face of video evidence ignited long-standing racial tensions in the community into the LA Riots. It was a six-day explosion of fiery protests, looting, and a National Guard deployment that resulted in more than 50 deaths, as many as 10,000 arrests, and more than $1 billion in property damage.
That afternoon, residents were outraged. They discussed the verdict across the city on court steps, street corners, grocery stores, and university campuses. Many protested in the streets, swarming numerous locations including the then-LAPD headquarters and the intersection of Florence and Normandie Avenues in South Central, which would become the violent epicenter.
Read Full Article »