Rodney King at a press conference after the L.A. Riots.
Twenty years ago Thursday, a 25-year-old black man was beaten by five white policemen in Los Angeles. Rodney King’s beating came to be the infamous incident that lead to the L.A. riots and a serious look into race relations and excessive use of force by police.
The footage, shot by George Holliday from his apartment on a Sony Handycam, was broadcast on KTLA that night, causing much controversy.
Chief Beck speaks about the anniversary of the Rodney King beating. (Video by Lexie Cook)
After all of the officers were found not guilty, the public was outraged and riots broke out around Los Angeles.
Susan Goalz, an L.A. resident, said life was terrifying during the L.A. riots and worried about her husband whenever he went to work.
“You were living on pins and needles,” Goalz said. “You didn’t know if everyone was going to start to riot and it would become a police state.”
Goalz said she remembers constantly watching the news and the images she saw of King’s beating and of the riots scared her. The image of a man getting pulled out of his car during the riots stuck with her the most.
“There was a fear and uncertainty,” Goalz said. “If you leave for work today will (your loved ones) come back?”
LAPD Chief Charlie Beck spoke at a press conference about the Rodney King beating Thursday. He said the LAPD has changed for the better since the incident.
“The LAPD under went significant changes but it wasn’t only the LAPD, it was this city,” Beck said.
Beck said that the LAPD’s approval ratings are 83 percent and that violent crime was four times higher in 1992, proof the department is more effective today.
He said that technology has played a huge role in the department’s actions, since video has become common. Since 1992, every police car has a dash video camera now.
“We do not hide behind our actions, we are proud of them,” Beck said.
Many believe the LAPD has improved relations with minority groups since the beating.
Rodney King, who is remembered for asking “Can’t we all just get along?” during the riots now works with two non-profit organizations in South Los Angeles.
