Reflections on the 20th anniversary of the Los Angeles riots
- 12 years ago
Los Angeles 1992.
The city erupts in chaos after the acquittal of four Los Angeles policemen in the beating of black motorist Rodney King, famously caught on video by an onlooker.
What started as six days of fires and looting led to 53 deaths.
King appealed for peace.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) RODNEY KING, SAYING:
"People, I just want to say, can we all get along? Can we get along?"
Twenty years later, King is promoting his new book, "The Riot Within," and he reflects on his association with the riots and how he would want to be remembered.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) RODNEY KING, SAYING:
"Can't we all get along? Simple. And why can't we all get along? Can I try and do it like Rodney? And that's how I would like to be remembered after I'm dead and gone."
Much has changed since his beating
(SOUNDBITE) (English) RODNEY KING, SAYING:
"I'm just so glad that there was a video camera out there, and video cameras are everywhere now, you know?" says King, 47. "But I'm really glad that they're out there now, you know, and I'm glad that they started putting them on some patrol cars and stuff, because my people, people period -- everybody -- was taking a pretty bad beating from the cops. And they still will continue too, but at least it won't be as much now, because they've got cameras, the eyes are watching, you know?"
April 29 marks the 20th anniversary of the Los Angeles riots. Since then the city has cut violent crime by 70 percent and homicides by 73 percent.
Deborah Lutterbeck, Reuters
The city erupts in chaos after the acquittal of four Los Angeles policemen in the beating of black motorist Rodney King, famously caught on video by an onlooker.
What started as six days of fires and looting led to 53 deaths.
King appealed for peace.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) RODNEY KING, SAYING:
"People, I just want to say, can we all get along? Can we get along?"
Twenty years later, King is promoting his new book, "The Riot Within," and he reflects on his association with the riots and how he would want to be remembered.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) RODNEY KING, SAYING:
"Can't we all get along? Simple. And why can't we all get along? Can I try and do it like Rodney? And that's how I would like to be remembered after I'm dead and gone."
Much has changed since his beating
(SOUNDBITE) (English) RODNEY KING, SAYING:
"I'm just so glad that there was a video camera out there, and video cameras are everywhere now, you know?" says King, 47. "But I'm really glad that they're out there now, you know, and I'm glad that they started putting them on some patrol cars and stuff, because my people, people period -- everybody -- was taking a pretty bad beating from the cops. And they still will continue too, but at least it won't be as much now, because they've got cameras, the eyes are watching, you know?"
April 29 marks the 20th anniversary of the Los Angeles riots. Since then the city has cut violent crime by 70 percent and homicides by 73 percent.
Deborah Lutterbeck, Reuters