Watts Riots to Black Lives Matter

The Watts Riots that occurred in 1965, was a bit of a foundation for the Rodney King riots in 1992. When black people are encountered with cops the court mainly seems to lean to the officer's side if the story. There have been numerous recent occasions with the unfortunate happenings of police brutality. The ability for minorities to stand up for themselves and represent one another in the Watts riots showed a certain type of courage and power blacks can have. The Watts Riots were initiated by the pulling over and attempt to arrest Marquette Frye with a large crowd around. Black people who witnessed the incident began angered by it and gathered in large groups to fight against the occurrence and show their objection. The riots carried on for days and I believe this encouraged people in 1992 to riot as well. Black people took advantage of this past and recreated it in 1992 and began to riot again for Rodney King. Black people new police brutality was happening, but without the technology that is available now, there was no way to prove it was happening. When Rodney King's beating so happened to be caught on camera, it sparked a new hope for change and revolution. 

The unfortunate thing about the relationship between people of color and a lot of police officers, is the protect and serve slogan is not distributed equally. When black people want to start public gatherings, riots, or marches the police are constantly protecting other people from them. There is never protection of them. Which relates to the present by the Black Lives Matter movement, instead of allowing blacks to stand up for what we believe is right, the police place restrictions on the movements. Whenever there are marches or just gatherings in general to support the movement of Black Lives Matter, the cops always feel the need to protect others over the ones supporting blacks. But for Trump supporters that have rallies and gatherings, the police stand with them and protect them, but they are simply showing support for their beliefs as blacks are doing. It shows the lack of connection people of color can feel from their officers that are supposed to protect and serve them and drives blacks to fear them. That side the police take shows the biggest difference and position that people of color have been placed into. But the same pattern continues to occur, the fight with minorities and the law enforcement. It is a sad reality that we have to deal with due to racism and various stereotypes in the law enforcement. 

-Brooke Ferguson