Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
LA Riots, 25 years later: Your voices
A rioter breaks a glass door of the Criminal Courts building in downtown Los Angeles on April 29, 1992.
(
HAL GARB/AFP/Getty Images
)
A National Guardsman patrols an area of central Los Angeles, damaged by the 1992 L.A. Riots.
(
AFP/AFP/Getty Images
)
Looters leave a Los Angeles liquor store with cases of beer on May 1, 1992.
(
AFP/AFP/Getty Images
)
Los Angeles police officers patrol a street on May 3, 1992 during the L.A. Riots.
(
AFP/AFP/Getty Images
)
A demonstrator protests the verdict in the trial of four Los Angeles police officers accused of beating motorist Rodney King.
(
MIKE NELSON/AFP/Getty Images
)
Looters carry goods from a shopping center in Los Angeles on April 30, 1992.
(
AFP/AFP/Getty Images
)
An aerial view of firemen extinguishing a fire due to rioting in Los Angeles on April 30, 1992.
(
MIKE NELSON/AFP/Getty Images
)
A car lies overturned on a Los Angeles street as a merchant sweeps up in front of his shop, on April 30, 1992.
(
DON EMMERT/AFP/Getty Images
)
Rioters destroy an iron gate from a store in downtown Los Angeles on April 29, 1992.
(
WADE BYARS/AFP/Getty Images
)
A line of policemen stand guard in Los Angeles on April 30, 1992.
(
MIKE NELSON/AFP/Getty Images
)
A woman yells at Los Angeles police officers who stand guard outside a shopping center on April 30, 1992, in Los Angeles.
(
DON EMMERT/AFP/Getty Images
)
Los Angeles police officers in riot gear stand guard at a burned out grocery store near downtown Los Angeles on April 30, 1992.
(
DON EMMERT/AFP/Getty Images
)
National Guardsmen watch a business go up in flames in South Los Angeles on April 30, 1992.
(
AFP/AFP/Getty Images
)
Merchants and volunteers clean up in front of a market that was burned and looted during L.A. Riots.
(
AFP/AFP/Getty Images
)
A store owner and an officer look at the damage caused by looters during the L.A. Riots.
(
MIKE NELSON/AFP/Getty Images
)
A CHP officer directs traffic around a shopping center engulfed in flames in Los Angeles on April 30, 1992.
(
CARLOS SCHIEBECK/AFP/Getty Images
)
A fireman sprays water on a burning auto parts store in Los Angeles, on April 30, 1992.
(
MIKE NELSON/AFP/Getty Images
)
Flames roar from a Thrifty Drug store in the Crenshaw area of Los Angeles on April 29, 1992.
(
MIKE NELSON/AFP/Getty Images
)
A fire department crew sprays water on a burning mini-mall in South Los Angeles on April 30,1992 after a night of rioting.
(
MIKE NELSON/AFP/Getty Images
)
Demonstrators protest the verdict in the Rodney King beating trial in front of LAPD headquarters in Los Angeles.
(
Nick Ut/AP
)
We put out a call, both on-air and online, asking listeners who had witnessed the L.A. Riots to share their experiences. These are some of your responses.
Edward Contreras owned Master Blaster, a mobile electronics business that burned down during the rioting. His father owned a TV repair shop, next door.
"I lost my business, located on 69th and Broadway. I was shot in the process... The place burned down. I had to leave, go to the hospital. When I came back, everything was burned down to the ground. This was the most devastating part of my life."
Tanya L. was in junior high in 1992. She says people were shocked by the riots because they thought racism and police brutality were history.
Support for LAist comes from
"I think in the '90s people believed this was not happening anymore. Where now, social media has really been able to put a spotlight on a lot of things in dealing with police brutality and social injustices. Back in the '90s, we didn't have those forms of communication and so we weren't able to share that with each other. So I think a lot of people didn't understand what was going on in South Los Angeles."
Cynthia, who was in jail the night the riots broke out, called AirTalk to share her story.
"I was in jail, sorry to say, for prostitution. So I wasn't dressed properly. They put almost 100 girls out on the street that night because they were scared of rioting in the jail. And we had no money, nowhere to go, no way to get home. A lot of the people I was scared of, like the gang bangers and stuff, they broke into the businesses and stole clothes for us to keep us warm. It was really cold out that night. Funny enough, I worked for a tow truck company and they sent a tow truck to come get me."
Ivy Jennette McClelland, who now lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico but grew up near Gage and Hoover and later in Inglewood, thinks not much has changed since 1992.
"Nothing has changed since 1992 or even 1965. The anger is still there. In 1965 it was black versus white. In 1992, it was blacks versus Koreans or Latinos versus Korean. Now, it's black versus everybody. There are very few jobs, few educational opportunities, few places to shop unless you're Hispanic, Latino. A lot of blacks are feeling left out. The same anger that happened in 1992 and 1965, it's going to happen again. My aunt passed away last year. She lived at Gage and San Pedro for 57 years. She saw the area change. She would not move away... On my last visit, I've seen some whites move back into South LA. That may be another flash point, the gentrification that is happening even in Koreatown, it's happened. In Pico Union it's starting to happen. And in Baldwin Hills it's starting to happen. That's going to provoke a lot of anger. It's going to be a lot worse and I feel very sad for people who are there... I feel feel scared for the people that are still there. I fear for my family members. Hopefully, cooler heads prevail. But if you deny people the chance to participate in government and in full educational and economic opportunities, things will never change. History will keep repeating itself."
A man who didn't leave his name had this to say:
"Yeah, L.A. has changed a lot but it's still the same. And the inner city, no matter how they divide it up, no matter what race it is, has a whole lot of work to do... but it has changed. I mean you're not seeing the same amount of drive-by shootings but people are still senselessly killing. One of the reasons is probably a lot of them went to prison forever and never got out."
Support for LAist comes from
Karen McCue worked for Samy's camera, which was then located on La Brea Blvd. near Beverly Blvd. It was burned to the ground that during the L.A. Riots. She still works at Samy's.
"Samy's was probably the largest business that was burned to the ground. Over $10 million and not covered by insurance due to civil unrest. Luckily, we rebuilt or Samy has rebuilt his business and has thrived. But it would be nice to hear comments about it coming up into the La Brea and Beverly area. India's Oven, I believe was also burned to the ground."
A 79-year-old woman who didn't leave her name called to tell her story of being punched by a man riding a bus in Hollywood last week.
"I don't like the coverage. I think you make too much of it... and for people who are upset and angry and maybe they've been drinking... I know better than to ride a bus on the week of the of the riot. I won't be riding a public bus. I'll stay home. I don't like to be hit by people who are angry."
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
After rising for years, the number of residential installations in the city of Los Angeles began to drop in 2023. The city isn’t subject to recent changes in state incentives, but other factors may be contributing to the decline. -
The L.A. City Council approved the venue change Wednesday, which organizers say will save $12 million in infrastructure costs.
-
Taxes on the sale of some newer apartment buildings would be lowered under a plan by Sacramento lawmakers to partially rein in city Measure ULA.
-
The union representing the restaurant's workers announced Tuesday that The Pantry will welcome back patrons after suddenly shutting down six months ago.
-
If approved, the more than 62-acre project would include 50 housing lots and a marina less than a mile from Jackie and Shadow's famous nest overlooking the lake.
-
The U.S. Supreme Court lifted limits on immigration sweeps in Southern California, overturning a lower court ruling that prohibited agents from stopping people based on their appearance.
Best of LAist