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Los Angeles' key protest moments: 1968 Walkouts, 1992 Rodney King uprising, and 2020 George Floyd demonstrations
The city of Los Angeles is once again witnessing a wave of public protests, echoing decades of civic resistance rooted in calls for justice and equality. From the Chicano student walkouts of 1968 to the explosive Rodney King uprising in 1992 and the global George Floyd demonstrations of 2020, LA has long been a battleground for social change. Today's protests—driven by ongoing frustrations over ICE raids against illegal immigrants—are the latest chapter in Los Angeles' history of activism.
Read about three pivotal moments that shaped Los Angeles' protest history — the 1968 East LA Walkouts, the 1992 Rodney King uprising, and the 2020 George Floyd demonstrations.
Frustration over racism, overcrowded classrooms, lack of college prep courses, and systemic neglect of Mexican-American students in LA's public schools.
In March 1968, over 15,000 Chicano students across seven Los Angeles high schools staged walkouts—known as the East LA Blowouts—demanding equal education, smaller class sizes, bilingual programs, and culturally relevant curriculum. Triggered by systemic neglect and discrimination, the protests began at Wilson High School and quickly spread. Key organizer Vickie Castro and teacher Sal Castro helped lead the movement. A list of 39 student demands was presented to the LA Board of Education but initially rejected. Thirteen leaders were later arrested, sparking wider activism. After months of protest, Sal Castro was reinstated, marking a pivotal win in the Chicano civil rights movement. Marked the birth of the Chicano civil rights movement in education.
Demanded bilingual education, more Latino teachers, and an end to corporal punishment.
Led to arrests of student leaders and organisers, but sparked lasting reform efforts in LAUSD.
Cause:
Outrage over the acquittal of four LAPD officers caught on video beating unarmed Black motorist Rodney King in 1991.
On April 29, 1992, hours after the verdict, violence erupted in South Central Los Angeles. Protests quickly escalated into looting, arson, and clashes with police and National Guard. 63 people died; over 2,000 were injured.
Damage estimates topped $1 billion.
Brought national attention to police brutality and racial injustice.
Spurred LAPD reforms and increased community policing efforts.
The 2020 George Floyd protests erupted worldwide after a video showed Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on the neck of George Floyd, a Black man, for over nine minutes during an arrest on May 25, 2020. Floyd's death sparked massive demonstrations against police brutality and systemic racism across all 50 U.S. states and in many countries.
The largely peaceful protests also saw some instances of rioting, looting, and clashes with police. Cities imposed curfews, and the National Guard was deployed in several states. The movement reignited calls for police reform, racial justice, and accountability.
Chauvin was later convicted of murder, and the incident became a defining moment in the global fight against racial injustice. Renewed focus on systemic racism and police reform.
Prompted budget shifts from LAPD to community services.
Led to the creation of oversight boards and calls to defund police nationwide.
