Abraham Torres documented the L.A riots by photographing the city as it was slowly decayed under flames. He explains the amount of looting that happened as property such as stores were destroyed. During this time, Torres explained that he did not think the photos meant enough to be shared until the events in Charlottesville took place in 2017. Looting throughout the L.A riots was largely focused on in the media. Since the media is contained and controlled, what is shown is usually biased and aims to send a certain message to the viewer. The riots were seen as savage behavior, instead of focusing on why the riots erupted in the first place. The riots were sending a message of their own, but the media had a different idea in mind. By depicting the riots as nothing but savage behavior, the media reinforced the racist ideas being used to justify the beating of Rodney King.
I believe Torres lost an opportunity to speak about the riots as they unfolded as he experienced them throughout his documentation. Of course, the photos are still valuable as they depict what the city was like in the midst of a city of millions at war with higher authority such as law enforcement. He could've shed a new light on the riots that weren't being shown by popular media outlets that only stood out on a street corner to report on what they've seen for the half hour they stood there. Torres knew what was going on from a different perspective, a personal one, one that was more intimate. His information did not lose value as the riots still remain a very important part of Los Angele's history, but in that moment, it could've meant a lot more to share with a world who were ignorant about the message behind the uprise in his community. Still, Torres used that experience and his pictures to help others better understand racism in the United States years after the riots broke out, and new ones formed.
An Unseen Side of the 1992 LA Riots - VICE
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