After the brutal death of George Floyd, many local communities and cities in different states started protesting.
Protests started in Minnesota, but later riots spread violence throughout the country where looters have been caught robbing and burning cars.
The point of the protest is to stop the law from abusing their power and discriminating against Black citizens. It is not right to penalize nice officers for the actions of bad officers.
Many business owners have worked hard and now will return to their businesses to see their property damaged from looters.
The protests have grown in momentum around the nation. The country became furious with unjust acts committed by police officers toward Black people throughout the years.
Martin Luther King Jr. said “A riot is the message of the unheard.”
Cynthia Castellanos, a parent of a former Citrus College student said she was disgusted by the looters’ actions.
“It was terrible and heartbreaking seeing society like animals running around with stolen objects in their hands and seeing young women and men jumping off fences breaking into Ross on channel Fox 11 live TV, but I know I’m safe at home,” Castellanos said.
The protests and looting started after Floyed’s death, but escalated on May 29 after reaching Los Angeles. Curfew for Los Angeles County residents began on May 30 because of looters and rioters.
Police brutality is nothing new. Los Angeles experienced police brutality and riots in 1992 when officers from the Los Angeles Police Department beat Rodney King.
The protests for George Floyd developed peacefully. The message was heard across the nation to arrest the four officers who were involved in Floyd’s death and charge them with murder.
In Los Angeles County, the looting escalated with opportunists, people who see an opportunity to take advantage of the protests. Most opportunists are young adults, as seen on TV.
A protest began in downtown Los Angeles on May 29 and continued the following day in Fairfax with lots of destruction to outdoor malls and small businesses.
A small number of people from Santa Ana in Orange County protested as well.
“We went because we had nothing to do at home,” Vanessa Zelaya of Santa Ana said. “We initially went for the protest but then we were trapped with looters and I was hit on the thigh. My grandmother came to rescue us and take us back home.”
Zelaya said she and her family went to the protest because they’ve been stuck in quarantine due to COVID-19. Zelaya said she thought the protest was something for her to do with her family who were visiting from out of town.
Adolph Brown, founder and CEO of Leadership & Learning Institute said on Fox News looters are violent because of the many traumatic events that have happened in their lifetime.
“It finally hit the young adults and citizens that have lost their jobs,” Brown said.
He said they are at protests for something to do, not because they want to enact change.
Some protesters in Los Angeles were peaceful, while others were not. Many protest to be part of change, but others just wanted to get outside because of the COVID-19 quarantine.
David Silva, a Glendora Police officer said he is on stand-by for peaceful protesters past curfew.
“I am here for my family and returning home safely,” Silva said.
These types of incidents have not arrived in Glendora, Azusa or Covina fortunately. Protestors have set to meet up soon, but as of now people are safe in Glendora.
