5 Days that Changed LA: Impact of 1992 civil unrest after police acquittal in Rodney King beating

LOS ANGELES (KABC) — Thirty years ago, Los Angeles erupted in anger after four LAPD officers were found not guilty of the brutal beating of Rodney King after a high-speed chase.

Fury over the acquittals quickly spilled onto the streets, leading to five days of civil unrest – looting, killings and thousands of fires that left parts of Los Angeles looking more like a war zone.

The events of 1992 ignited a national conversation about racial and economic injustice and police use of force that continues today.

We explore the impact of the unrest through the people behind the largest civil disturbance in American history and examine if changes since then to policing have been enough.

Watch the special, “5 Days that Changed L.A.” on Saturday, April 23 at 6:30 p.m. wherever you stream ABC7.

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Thirty years ago next week, L.A. erupted in anger after the acquittals of four LAPD officers who beat Rodney King. King’s daughter Lora reflects on what she remembers, what’s changed and what hasn’t.

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Vacant for decades after being destroyed in the 1992 L.A. uprising, a new project at the intersection of Vermont-Manchester hopes to turn the property into a cornerstone for the community.

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Asian Americans Advancing Justice Los Angeles brought together many civil rights leaders working to build unity before, during, and after the 1992 L.A. uprising.

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