The 1992 Los Angeles riots, also known as the Rodney King riots, were sparked by the acquittal of four LAPD officers who were caught on video brutally beating Rodney King, a Black man, during a traffic stop. While poverty and systemic racism played a role in the riots, it would be inaccurate and unfair to attribute the cause solely to poor young Blacks.

The unrest in Los Angeles was fueled by a complex mix of factors, including a history of police brutality against Black and Brown communities, economic inequality, social and racial tensions, and the sense of injustice felt by many after the acquittal of the officers. The riots were also exacerbated by the media’s portrayal of the events and the response of law enforcement, which further escalated the violence.

It is important to recognize that the causes of the 1992 Los Angeles riots were complex and multifaceted and cannot be attributed to a single group or community. It is crucial to address the root causes of social and economic inequality, systemic racism, and police brutality in order to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.

During the riots, the Korean American community received NO protection from police. At the time there was a lot of friction between the Korean and black community because of many previous incidents. Additionally, the Korean American community was disproportionately attacked by looters, suffering over 2,300 attacks on shops, with an estimated $40 million in damage. Because of these two main factors, Koreans American gathered to defend their community with some success. There were several gun fights, which we believe produced psychological injuries.