The riot started because of four white LAPD officers beating a black American, named Rodney King, for no reason, the officers also taped the beating Rodney King took the officers to court, one was found guilty of excessive force, the others where cleared of all charges. After this the word spread quickly around Los Angeles, this is when the riot of races began. in some parts of Los Angeles people started rioting, the rioting got wowser and wowser as time went by. Innocent people were assaulted, and buildings were destroyed or burnt. Schools and businesses were closed and people stayed at home. 4000 National Guard Troops were sent to patrol the streets in Los Angeles. The riot was broadcasted on television and people would watch and wait till they see the end. The riot lasted from April 29- May 4, when the rioting stopped businesses and schools were reopened. This had been LA’s worst riot, 50 people killed, 4 thousand injured, 12000 people arrested and $1 billion in property damage.

Curtis Johnsons Diary

Dear Diary, April 29 1992

Last night my friend, Rodney King, got beaten up by four good for nothing “white” LAPD officers, for no reason at all! I heard they even taped there gruesome beatings. Rodney King took them to court, but only one of the LAPD officers was charged guilty, the other three were sent free. I say this is an insult! An insult to all black people! I don’t know what to do to make black people get respected more, it’s unfair. I don’t want my kids to be treated unfairly in Los Angeles; I don’t want any of us to be treated unfairly. I’m thinking I should fight to earn respect, but then again I don’t want to set a bad example to my kids and my wife will get upset. I have no choice though, if I want black people to be respected I’m going to have to fight and the other people should help me with this fight!

Dear Diary, April 30 1992</p

Today I was surprised to see people had already started fighting. I talked to my other friends and found out one of them started the fight. People where beaten up on the street and stores where robbed. I say the white people deserve this for treating black people like they are nothing. I planned an attack with my friends on a white liquor store; we are planning to light the whole thing on fire tomorrow night. The police were getting involved in the riot now and one of my friends got arrested for punching a police officer, I say he deserved it. I fought the police for trying to arrest me. I decided to run because I was really hurt bad, luckily I managed to escape and return home. I knew my wife will find out I was involved in this fight by looking at the cuts and bruises on my body, but I still went in. My kids were at school and that reduced the pressure on me. My wife heard me came in and said she is very worried about me. She doesn’t want me to fight again; I said to her I will not again get involved. But I was lying, my plan for blowing up the white liquor store stayed with me. That night I saw on the news that Korea town was abandonment, they organized a self-defence team composed of veteran Marines and workers. Self defence also protected Korean shops. President Bush spoke against the rioting, saying that anarchy would not be tolerated. I went to bed thinking about good ways on how to blow up the liquor store.