When the National Guard Went to L.A. in 1992, the Situation Was Far Different.

The New York Times ^ | June 8, 2025, 5:38 p.m. ET | Billy Witz

[E. Pluribus Unum]

The skirmishes with immigration agents of the past few days are dwarfed by the widespread rioting, vandalism and violence that engulfed whole neighborhoods in 1992.

Some Republicans have drawn parallels between President Trump’s dispatching of National Guard troops to Los Angeles on Saturday and what happened in 1992, when soldiers and Marines were sent to the Los Angeles area to restore order after the Rodney King riots.

But that was a far different situation.

In contrast with the isolated skirmishes seen in Los Angeles County over the past few days, there were neighborhoods in 1992 that had devolved into something resembling a lawless dystopia. Drivers were pulled from cars and beaten. Buildings were burned. Businesses were looted. In all, 63 people died during the riots, including nine who were shot by the police.

The mayhem, which went on for six days, was rooted in Black residents’ anger over years of police brutality. It ignited after four officers were found not guilty of using excessive force against Mr. King, a Black motorist who had been pulled over after a high-speed chase, even though videotape evidence clearly showed the officers brutally beating him. That anger had erupted before, notably in the Watts riots of 1965.

The violence in 1992 was also fueled by tensions between the Black and Korean American communities in the area, and by the shooting death of a Black girl by a Korean American shopkeeper. It got so far out of control that major-league sports events were postponed or moved to safer locations, dusk-to-dawn curfews were imposed, schools were closed and mail delivery was withheld in some neighborhoods.

On the third day of the violence, President George H.W. Bush activated the National Guard at the request of Gov. Pete Wilson and Mayor Tom Bradley of Los Angeles...

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TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Government
KEYWORDS: 1992; california; riots

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Worse than J6, which was worse than Pearl Harbor!

[Jonty30]

Yes, the situation was different. A Democrat was President.

[chajin]

So we should wait until the situation is as bad as it was after MLK’s assassination, or after Rodney King’s death, or George Floyd’s death, and THEN we can think of responding?

You stop something BEFORE it gets that bad, just like you take antibiotics before the infection turns into blood sepsis. That’s what adults do. California is ruled by overaged children.

[piasa]

Obviously, in 1992 they waited too long.

[EliRoom8]

Why do we keep getting crap news from the Slimes, the Post, CNN, etc. on FR?

[MinorityRepublican]

Why do we keep getting crap news from the Slimes, the Post, CNN, etc. on FR?

Because we are not an echo chamber.

It's okay to use different sources so we can talk about what's going on.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Why do we keep getting crap news from the Slimes, the Post, CNN, etc. on FR?

Rush Limbaugh spent most of his shows on "crap news from the Slimes, the Post, CNN, etc."

Like Rush, I like to know what lies they are telling today.

If you don't, you should learn how to not click on them.

[Bruce Campbells Chin]

The difference is that in 1992, the LAPD was united and enforcing the law. Now, California law enforcement are deliberately doing nothing in the hope (of leftist California politician' that federal law enforcement will be overwhelmed, and forced to back off and cancel immigration enforcement. Because without any state/local law enforcement backup, they'd be too outnumbered --and in danger of actually being overwhelmed -- to risk enforcing immigration law. It is a deliberate choice/strategy by California politicians.

So, in the absence of cooperation - and backup of things get bad - from California state and local law enforcement, the only ones capable of filling that force shortage is the U.S. military.

[Brooklyn Attitude]

The Left is going to try and “Kent State” Trump by goading the National Guard to fire on Demonstrators.

[Bruce Campbells Chin]

Because we are not an echo chamber. It's okay to use different sources so we can talk about what's going on. Great answer.

Part of the reason Democrats are as out of touch as they are is because they do live in an echo chamber. They didn't read anything but their "approved" sources, and therefore grew out of touch with what was being said by the rest of the country.

Know thine enemies.

[cowboyusa]

Blocking Higheays now.😡

[PghBaldy]

George H.W. Bush (R) was POTUS

[Bonemaker]

Check out Watts Riots in 1965. Current stuff is a picnic in comparason. It's a tradition in democrat shitholes.

[ncfool]

I hope the world is watching in the international Olympic committee decides to strip Los Angeles of the 2028 Olympics. I hope that the World Cup people do the same thing. Los Angeles is a loss cause from the United States. Let them fall into the deep abyss of the left wing party.

[popdonnelly]

Fact is, we’ve had many riots in this country. We didn’t always sympathize with and reward the rioters. You get what you reward.

[Thank You Rush]

And Pete Wilson (R) was governor!

[9422WMR]

“ The difference is that in 1992,” the people in Calipornia cared about the US and the rule of law. Now, not so much. The invasion has resulted in a huge number of communists who are hell bent on destroying everything.
Think of Pol Pot and how the young people were manipulated to kill those deemed unworthy.

[norcal joe]

Yes, it’s good to post some stories from those sources. But you don’t need to print EVERY negative story that they publish. It’s really overdoing it in my opinion, and often makes scrolling through FR a pain. Rush did indeed talk about what the other side was saying, but he didn’t overdo it.

[ansel12]

People don’t remember that there were riots nationwide, not just the main one in LA.

Does anyone remember the first police car driving around the first victim automobile and fleeing?

Has anyone seen the censored 11 seconds at the beginning of the beating video when King jumps up and leaps at the officer who then delivers the first blow? The media cut that out.

[Salman]

This is outright civil war. We may need to send more than the National Guard.