3D

Why do you think they were worried about violence or a riot erupting? What about the case would lead to that? Did you think this would happen?

Past incidents, Rodney King, have resulted in riots in Southern LA and the animosity between the police and black citizens only need another spark and the murder of a black civil rights attorney is that spark.

This was shortly after the Rodney King trial. Tensions were still very high between police and violence against black citizens. I find it interesting that over 25 years later, this still happens fairly often.

At the time this story takes place, the entire political climate in LA was beyond merely fragile. With Elias being a prominent African - American, and a civil rights attorney who seems to have made a career of suing the LAPD, especially after the Rodney King riots...he could and would, make this a high-profile case against the LAPD. He already seems to have made a lot of enemies in the department. If his killer turns out to be a police officer the case could be used to prove the corruption which is already thought to exist, which would of course bring out protests in the LAPD. It's a "no win" situation. >3 Olivermagnus: I agree. People have very short memories.

Irving said that he was expecting the citizens of the community to act in a calm and responsible manner.

Claims about "paid protestors" driving civil unrest in Los Angeles have been the subject of ongoing political debates and federal investigations. Several sources and figures have been implicated, investigated, or alleged to be funding these activities. Some protestors have been paid $75,000. You can tell that the protesters have been organized by groups as all the signs are similar. Paying protestors is against the law if violence, and property damage occurs or foreign influence.

>4 Carol420: Agree with Carol. The Rodney King riots were still very fresh in people's minds, and the LAPD wanted the city to be calm with Elias' murder due to his prominence in the African American community.

>4 Carol420: well said! I agree. Both the Watts and Rodney King riots were organic uprisings that were violent and difficult to manage. The King riots were fresh in everyone’s minds and the LAPD wanted to do whatever they could to help keep the peace.

I was in LA during the Rodney King riots. Scary as h-ll. I lived greater than 10 miles away from it at the time, but even in my neighborhood everyone was sheltering at home. I vividly recall how the first day of violence erupted and grew. By the time I closed my workplace I was one of just a handful of cars on the road that was not a first responder. The streets were more quiet than during the Covid lockdown.

>7 bluebird_: Thank you for sharing your "first-hand account". How awful! We watched it on TV and couldn't believe that this was happening in America.

>3 Olivermagnus: I agree, things haven’t changed much, and some would question whether the institutional racism has been rooted out, or whether it is now just self-fulfilling prophecy.

>7 bluebird_: Reminds me of the Brixton (London) riots in the UK in 1981 when I lived in that area, all incredibly frightening. Unfortunately these days with social media so easy to whip up riots / civil disobedience as we see regularly in the UK in recent years. Some of these accounts are overseas accounts that want disharmony in another country, and also being funded from overseas. A form of pseudo war.

>10 Andrew-theQM: Yes! the internet and social media has made it a whole new world. It’s easier to wind up people, easier to spread disinformation and easier to manipulate people.

>11 bluebird_: Very much so and a real can of worms we have opened.