Worst Riots In America Essay
The Worst Riot in U.S. History
“The last thing the leaders of Los Angeles expected in the early 1900s was that their city would become the scene of the nation’s deadliest urban race riot since the Civil War” (Cannon 3). On March 3, 1991 Rodney King was arrested for driving through stop signs and multiple lights. Rodney King, African-American, had been arrested once before and the police were convinced he was on the narcotic “PCP”. The entire arrest was filmed and several witnesses claimed that Rodney King resisted arrest even after being struck with a taser and hit with night sticks. Four Los Angeles Police Department officers were tried for using excessive force against Mr. King. However, the tape of the arrest did not display any of this. “During the trial, it was revealed that one officer, Laurence Powell, had boasted about beating Mr. King and had used a racial epithet while referring to a black couple” (Flores). The tapes, known as the Holliday tapes after being filmed by a civilian George Holliday did …show more content…
Forty one of the fifty eight deaths were from gunfire whereas the rest of the deaths were from fires or being beaten. A total of eleven thousand arrests occurred during these riots but due to lack of evidence because of the large crowds, most charges were dropped. One third of those arrested in the riots were unable to be identified and were freed from the local police stations. Because of the large arrests the Los Angeles Police Department did not have enough room to put all of the arrested civilians thus letting most go as long as the charges were not severe. “The police withdrew from the main areas of fighting, ceding the streets to the insurgent poor. Systematic burnings of capitalist enterprises commenced. More than 5,500 buildings burned. People shot at cops on the street and at media and police helicopters. Seventeen government buildings were destroyed”
“The last thing the leaders of Los Angeles expected in the early 1900s was that their city would become the scene of the nation’s deadliest urban race riot since the Civil War” (Cannon 3). On March 3, 1991 Rodney King was arrested for driving through stop signs and multiple lights. Rodney King, African-American, had been arrested once before and the police were convinced he was on the narcotic “PCP”. The entire arrest was filmed and several witnesses claimed that Rodney King resisted arrest even after being struck with a taser and hit with night sticks. Four Los Angeles Police Department officers were tried for using excessive force against Mr. King. However, the tape of the arrest did not display any of this. “During the trial, it was revealed that one officer, Laurence Powell, had boasted about beating Mr. King and had used a racial epithet while referring to a black couple” (Flores). The tapes, known as the Holliday tapes after being filmed by a civilian George Holliday did …show more content…
Forty one of the fifty eight deaths were from gunfire whereas the rest of the deaths were from fires or being beaten. A total of eleven thousand arrests occurred during these riots but due to lack of evidence because of the large crowds, most charges were dropped. One third of those arrested in the riots were unable to be identified and were freed from the local police stations. Because of the large arrests the Los Angeles Police Department did not have enough room to put all of the arrested civilians thus letting most go as long as the charges were not severe. “The police withdrew from the main areas of fighting, ceding the streets to the insurgent poor. Systematic burnings of capitalist enterprises commenced. More than 5,500 buildings burned. People shot at cops on the street and at media and police helicopters. Seventeen government buildings were destroyed”