AP Photo
The Watts section of has a history of tension. Here, demonstrators pushed against a police car after rioting erupted in a crowd of 1,500 in the Los Angeles area of Watts, August 12, 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. #WattsRiots50 pic.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. #WattsRiots50 pic.twitter.com/hKJEFgx0D8
- Watts Riots 50 (@WattsRiots50) August 14, 2015Nat Guard rolling in, clearing protestors. Some are cheering. Thousands more troops by 3am. #WattsRiots50 pic.twitter.com/fmiCP4nRDY
- Watts Riots 50 (@WattsRiots50) August 14, 2015Everyone 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, 2015Officers doing another "weapons search" near Slauson & Avalon. #WattsRiots50 pic.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. #WattsRiots50 pic.twitter.com/QXQv6lHJrj
- Watts Riots 50 (@WattsRiots50) August 13, 2015The scene right now at Avalon Blvd. and Imperial Hwy. #WattsRiots50 pic.twitter.com/cwkq55XGgo
- Watts Riots 50 (@WattsRiots50) August 13, 2015Another morning another @LATimes headline. Everything outside smoky/ hazy. Smells like burning. #WattsRiots50 pic.twitter.com/gE7ch5vmCD
- Watts Riots 50 (@WattsRiots50) August 13, 2015See this? "Search for weapons." #WattsRiots50 pic.twitter.com/9Y33FzioDL
- Watts Riots 50 (@WattsRiots50) August 13, 2015People throwing rocks and police cracking skulls while buildings go up in flames. This is the reality. #WattsRiots50 pic.twitter.com/JKysFJwPB7
- Watts Riots 50 (@WattsRiots50) August 13, 2015Photos are coming out from last night. The newspapers are having a field day. #WattsRiots50 pic.twitter.com/Rl3dhzbMsK
- Watts Riots 50 (@WattsRiots50) August 12, 2015