Video of a black store owner devastated by the damage during the 1992 LA riots has resurfaced as people compare the destruction to looting amid Black Lives Matter protests.
As peaceful protesters march for justice following the recent deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery, authorities have said opportunistic groups from out of town have raided stores – including some black-owned small businesses.
Now a clip from 28 years ago is being shared online as people beg rioters not to cause the same destruction to hardworking business-owners as the property damage that occurred in response to the brutal police custody death of Rodney King.
‘Why destroy my truck? Why steal my computer?’ the man is heard crying to group of onlookers. ‘I tried to make it. Could you understand that? Did y’all see it? I tried to make it.
Video from 1992 shows a man crying: ‘Why destroy my truck? Why steal my computer? I tried to make it. Could you understand that?’
His speech was to opportunistic looters following riots over the acquittal of police officers who beat to death Rodney King in LA
Footage went viral after it was shared on TikTok last week. People have said it still resonates today amid Black Lives Matter protests
‘Don’t burn down my store. I worked too hard for this.’
Around him people are seen grabbing merchandise from stores and casually walking away with no regard for the owners.
He repeats: ‘It’s not right,’ as a woman is seen comforting him and saying, ‘Lawrence stop it.’
‘I came from the ghetto too. Same as all of you did.’
A bystander then yells: ‘Y’all need to listen.’
The man continues: ‘Y’all burnt up my business and you call is black power.
‘Alright you’re mad at the white man. Why destroy my business? Why destroy my truck? Why destroy my business? I tried to make it.
‘Could you understand that? Could y’all see it? I tried to make it.’
A TikTok user who shared the old video captioned it: ‘Open y’all’s eyes. It’s not a protest no more.’
‘I hope at least someone sees this and it changes their perspective.’
There was some confusion over when the video was filmed by the social media account holder later clarified that the intention of posting it was because it still resonates today. Many people agreed.
One social media users replied: ‘This video is from the LA riots back in the 90’s still the exact same issue. the message is the same. it isn’t fair to the poor business owners :/’
A Twitter user disagreed that the video still resonates today, suggesting that rioters have been more savvy about which businesses they target
The video has gone viral across other social media platforms such as Instagram and Twitter.
Some people disagreed that clip is relevant to the rioting in LA over the last few days.
‘More and more protesters are making it a point that they should not loot small businesses, especially black owned businesses BECAUSE of this video and the fact that they might support BLM so this 1992 video is not proving the point you’re trying to make,’ a Twitter user posted.
In response to a tweet that rioters may not be checking who the businesses are owned by, the social media user responded: ‘People protest locally. If you do your research, you’ll find multiple videos on one person yelling ‘stop!’ in front of a local business store and protesters will refrain from damaging the store.’
After the death of George Floyd in Minnesota last Monday, many people have claimed looters are targeting large cooperation’s such as Target because of their affiliation with police and because some branches have refused to sell milk, baking soda and water to protesters who have been hit by pepper spray and tear gas from police.
But videos have also shown peaceful protesters use their bodies to guard stores such as Target, as opportunistic people approach, seemingly to cause damage.
Pictured is the scene on La Brea in Los Angeles amid the riots in 1992 following the acquittal of police who beat Rodney King to death in the street
Flames rise from a Los Angeles Police Department kiosk in The Grove shopping center during a protest over the death of George Floyd, Saturday in Los Angeles
A protester holds a skateboard in front of a fire in Los Angeles, California on Saturday
Firefighters extinguish a fire on a car set by protesters outside of the Civic Auditorium in Santa Monica, California Sunday
In LA, rioters have been seen breaking into luxury stores and raiding them for designer items.
Police patrol cars and malls have been set on fire and billboards have been covered in graffiti.
One man who took part in protests after the acquittal of white policemen who beat to death Rodney King, said rioting is symbolism.
‘People are willing to fight,’ he said. ‘It’s part of the struggle. Positive things come from rioting. These people would rather die than be oppressed. That’s how I felt,’ Mark Craig told the Orange County Register.
‘It’s all about symbolism,’ Craig said. ‘Kap (former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick) took a knee. I saw the police headquarters in Minnesota burning. I saw people surrounding the White House. That symbolism could change this country’s hand again.’
Craig noted that the affluent areas he saw being destroyed this past week, such as Third and Fairfax in LA, were not the same ones in the LA riots of 1992. He said this time around the rioters have been more savvy.
Craig said that in the 28 years since he was pictured in front of a burning building, African American women are some of the most educated in the country and black governors have more power. But he said the riots must be backed up by voting.
George Floyd was killed on Monday May 25 while in the custody of Minnesota police officers
‘There has been tremendous progress, but systematic racism has always been there. With the police, nothing has changed. Watching this on television now, I’m more proud of what I did.’
An owner of a restaurant caught in the crossfire last week, went viral after he said ‘let my business burn’ in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement.
‘Thank you to everyone for checking in. Sadly Gandhi Mahal has caught fire and has been damaged. We won’t loose hope though, I am so grateful for our neighbors who did their best to stand guard and protect Gandhi Mahal, Your efforts won’t go unrecognized,’ the Minnesota restaurant posted on Facebook. ‘Don’t worry about us, we will rebuild and we will recover.
‘This is Hafsa, Ruhel’s daughter writing, as I am sitting next to my dad watching the news, I hear him say on the phone; “let my building burn, Justice needs to be served, put those officers in jail”.
‘Gandhi Mahal May have felt the flames last night, but our firey drive to help protect and stand with our community will never die! Peace be with everyone. #JusticeforGeorgeFloyd #BLM.’
Glass cracked by bricks thrown through the window of a Chanel store by protesters Saturday night is visible, Sunday