Читать книгу Disaster Response and Recovery - David A. McEntire - Страница 53

Riots are another type of civil/conflict hazards. Riots are large disturbances where people engage in antisocial behavior. They may begin as social protests but they are different than political demonstrations since this conduct includes rock throwing, looting, tipping over vehicles, starting fires and attacking law enforcement personnel. That is to say, social protesters and their opponents may peaceful protests initially, but the tense emotions may sometimes spark riots. These riots reveal serious disagreements about political decisions, economic circumstances, racial tensions and/or cultural conflict. Other factors, such as drunk fans after the Super Bowl, may also trigger riots. Whatever the cause, these events can damage property, disrupt business activities and hurt the economy. They may also produce a large number of injuries and even death.

There have been several notable riots in the United States, including the Watts Riot in Los Angeles in 1965. This episode began when an officer pulled over an African American man who was alleged to have been driving erratically. In another racially charged situation, four police officers appeared to have used excessive force against Rodney King in Sylmar, California on March 3, 1991. The incident was caught on tape, but the police officers were not convicted of any crime. Many people believed that the police beating was both unnecessary and brutal. Others believed the legal system was biased when the verdict was made public. As a result, on April 29, 1992, thousands of people took to the streets to illustrate their dismay. Fifty individuals were killed, hundreds were injured, and over 12,000 people were arrested. Damage was in the millions of dollars.

Another riot occurred in Seattle in 1999 when environmentalists and others protested the policies of the World Trade Organization. During a 4‐day period, people not only marched and heckled police but disabled busses and broke windows. As the violence ensued, it became apparent that law enforcement agencies in Seattle were not fully prepared. They were caught off guard by the demonstration that turned violent. The situation after the George Zimmerman trial in 2013 was dramatically different. The resulting protests were limited in number and were generally peaceful. The police in Florida and around the nation were better prepared for potential riots after the tragic death of a young black man.

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In 2020 and 2021, a series of riots affected the United States and the nation’s capital. After decades of systemic institutional racism and a police officer’s kneeling on George Floyd’s neck on May 25, 2020, which resulted in his death, thousands of people took to the streets and some of the demonstrations turned violent in Minneapolis‐Saint Paul. Two people were killed and over $500,000 in property damage resulted from looting and arson. The situation prompted similar protests around the country for several months. Perhaps as many as 25 people died and countless others were injured during these protests and accompanying riots. Damages from vandalism, arson, and looting may have tallied as much as $2 billion during the summer months in 2020. In a counter‐protest or riot due to the Republican loss of the November 2020 Presidential election, many of Donald Trump’s supporters marched on the capitol building in Washington, D.C. Some even stormed this important landmark and institution, which caused police to use weapons to protect House and Senate representatives. Five people were killed in the clash (one from a shooting, one from being hit in the head with a fire extinguisher, and the others from a stroke, heart attack, and other medical emergency). These events clearly illustrate the need for further planning and preparedness for mass violence if political protests take a turn for the worse.