"Maybe Arnold's thinking that it is best not to have rioting for the 4 days preceding Tookie's death."
That makes perfect sense.... there is always time for them to riot afterward.
But on that topic, why on earth would you burn down your neighborhood as seems to happen in cases like this?
You can't assume that everyone has the same motivations that you do. You probably want a good life, think a little bit ahead, save money, try to keep your house up. The rioters want to do what feels good right now. They don't think a half hour ahead. If they want to burn down a house, it's little to them that there will be a burned down house in their neighborhood tomorrow. They're not upset about Tookie getting executed, this is just a chance to go out and tear stuff up, steal, rape and beat the crap out of people. They do it because they like doing it.
I think it is the mindset that "If you do not own it, who cares?" but, to be honest, I do not understand it either. The poor police officers and fire fighters are at tremendous risk--not to mention the innocent bystanders.