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CNN Live Today
Los Angeles Remembers Anniversary of Riots
Aired April 29, 2002 - 14:33 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Ten years ago today the city of L.A. erupted in anger after four white police officers were acquitted in the beating of Rodney King. The chaos in the days after that verdict left 55 people dead and caused an estimated $1 billion in property damage. Ten years ago today, this is how things unfolded.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: It's perhaps the worst notorious police brutality case in recent memory.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Those blows continued and continued and continued, for no just reason.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We the injury find the defendants not guilty of the crime of assault by force...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ... four current and former Los Angeles police officers were acquitted today of all but one criminal charge in the beating of motorist Rodney King.
DARRYL GATES, FMR. L.A. POLICE CHIEF: Hopefully the people of this city will recognize that this is indeed our system of justice.
JOHN SINGLETON, FILM DIRECTOR: What these people have done (UNINTELLIGIBLE) to a bomb. And what happens after this, people are going to point to this.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Disbelief, shock and anger. That was how people at this barber shop in south central Los Angeles reacted.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a damn shame.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I hope they don't start a riot. You know, like that Watts stuff come up, so I hope it don't.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Is there that possibility?
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: What you're seeing now is from inside Parker Center. And I believe that this is when what was supposed to be a very peaceful protest actually turned very violent.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: More than 200 officers in riot gear encircled the building. Demonstrators retreated. But some knocked over a guard shack. It crashed to the ground and was set on fire with paper leaflets. Police moved in and began arresting some of the demonstrators.
The intensity of rioting forced Mayor Bradley to declare a state of emergency. The night here was lit with fires. The streets, filled with unrest and police under attack.
TOM BRADLEY, FMR. L.A. MAYOR: We must not, we will not respond to this senseless jury verdict with senseless action, or in vengeance. Instead, we must, we will show the world what is possible in Los Angeles.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: This is the biggest fire that we have at this point, the largest plume of smoke that we see.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: The looting continues. So far, however, there's been no confrontation between police and looters. Most of it has been concentrated in this area of south central Los Angeles.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It ain't all about race. It ain't all about the color. What it's about, we not being treated right.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They don't even have enough police out here to do what they have to do. And all these people around here, we're overpowering them.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: That's just burning to the ground.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: This is one scene many of us will never forget. Angry people on the streets pulled at least four drivers from their vehicles and severely beat them.
RODNEY KING, POLICE BEATING VICTIM: I just want to say, you know, can we all get along? Can we get along.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HEMMER: The images from ten years ago. Daryl Gates, also the police chief in L.A. during those riots. Earlier today on CNN he spoke with Paula Zahn about his memories and today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DARYL GATES, FMR. L.A. POLICE CHIEF: If you look at the Los Angeles Police Department, it's gone downhill ever since I left, ten years. And its dysfunctional, it's reached the point where it's dysfunctional. The morale is in the pits. It's just horrible.
And I wanted to return to the pride that people had in that organization, that the people within the organization had, as the best police department in the world. I can do that. I can bring the morale up.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HEMMER: Daryl Gates, possibly pitching for his old job back. More on the riots later tonight.
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