This week, America is recognizing the 50-year anniversary of the Watts riots, which took place in a small suburb of Los Angeles on August 11, 1965.
On that date, a white police officer pulled over a black motorist on suspicion of DUI in the predominately black neighborhood.
A violent confrontation ensued, which became the tipping point for a community long-burdened by the scourge of systemic racism from within the Los Angeles Police Department, and the city at large.
The riots lasted six days and resulted in the deaths of 34 people. One thousand more were injured. Four thousand people were arrested. Property damage estimates climbed to $40 million, according to the University of Southern California archives. The anniversary of the riots takes on special significance this year in light of more recent racial tension in Ferguson, Missouri and Baltimore, Maryland, after police there were accused of killing unarmed black men.
The Twitter account @WattsRiots50 is memorializing the Watts riots in a very unique way by tweeting the events of the riots as they unfolded in real time 50 years ago. Three days into the riot, the account has generated 135 tweets and gathered 1,788 followers.
Here are some of the tweets:
Central Ave. and 43rd St. right now. @LAPDHQ and @LAFD on the scene. All officers have shotguns drawn. #WattsRiots50pic.twitter.com/BO2regdehu
— Watts Riots 50 (@WattsRiots50) August 14, 2015
.@LAPDHQ Chief Parker says riots happening because "The police have been handling Negroes with kid gloves." Let that sink in. #WattsRiots50
— Watts Riots 50 (@WattsRiots50) August 14, 2015
.@latimes reporting 8 dead this morning. #WattsRiots50pic.twitter.com/hKJEFgx0D8
— Watts Riots 50 (@WattsRiots50) August 14, 2015
Nat Guard rolling in, clearing protestors. Some are cheering. Thousands more troops by 3am. #WattsRiots50pic.twitter.com/fmiCP4nRDY
— Watts Riots 50 (@WattsRiots50) August 14, 2015
Everyone is running. People said a bystander got trapped on the street between police and protestors. They said he got shot. #WattsRiots50
— Watts Riots 50 (@WattsRiots50) August 14, 2015
Officers doing another "weapons search" near Slauson & Avalon. #WattsRiots50pic.twitter.com/kIxGreR33o
— Watts Riots 50 (@WattsRiots50) August 14, 2015#LAPD is getting more agitated and violent. They can't seem to get a grip on the situation. #WattsRiots50pic.twitter.com/QXQv6lHJrj
— Watts Riots 50 (@WattsRiots50) August 13, 2015
The scene right now at Avalon Blvd. and Imperial Hwy. #WattsRiots50pic.twitter.com/cwkq55XGgo
— Watts Riots 50 (@WattsRiots50) August 13, 2015
Another morning another @LATimes headline. Everything outside smoky/ hazy. Smells like burning. #WattsRiots50pic.twitter.com/gE7ch5vmCD
— Watts Riots 50 (@WattsRiots50) August 13, 2015
See this? "Search for weapons."#WattsRiots50pic.twitter.com/9Y33FzioDL
— Watts Riots 50 (@WattsRiots50) August 13, 2015
People throwing rocks and police cracking skulls while buildings go up in flames. This is the reality. #WattsRiots50pic.twitter.com/JKysFJwPB7
— Watts Riots 50 (@WattsRiots50) August 13, 2015
Photos are coming out from last night. The newspapers are having a field day. #WattsRiots50pic.twitter.com/Rl3dhzbMsK
— Watts Riots 50 (@WattsRiots50) August 12, 2015Join the conversation about this story »
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