Fifty-Three people dead, over 3000 injured, and over 8000 people arrested. One of America’s most famous cities is crumbling right in front of the country’s eyes (Newkirk, 1). Cars line the street, engulfed in flames. Store windows and doors, completely smashed, covering the sidewalks with dangerous shards of glass, people running on top of it, as if they did not notice it digging into their feet. Angry mobs blocked intersections in South Los Angeles, tearing drivers from their cars and beating them (Banks, 1). Over one billion of the city’s dollars lost to arson and looting (Newkirk 1). The LA riots are some of the most iconic and deadly violent protests in United States’ history. Protests-when they go berserk-cause an immense amount of destruction and loss of both money and lives. Even though protests are protected under the First Amendment Right as the freedom to assemble, safety should always come before freedom. The First Amendment protects many individual rights, including freedom of the press, freedom to chose and practice a certain religion, freedom of speech, and the freedom to assemble. A right to protest is protected under the freedom to assemble and petition. This being said, there are many types of protests. Some different types of protests include sit-ins, marches, …show more content…
Generally, police officers help people feel safe, and solve the issues. However, in the LA Riots, the police were exactly the problem. It was very difficult for the police officers to protect the city when the citizens lost all trust for the police officers. Often times, other police systems have to come into the riots to solve the problems. Another problem with police and protests is prosecuting with equality. When the Civil Rights Movement was happening, the police mainly arrested the black people, even though there was plenty of white people participating in the
The First Amendment is an amendment that protects the right of speech, petition, assembly, religion, and press. The first amendment states “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of people peaceably to assemble and to petition the government for redress of grievances.” (heritage.org)
The first Amendment gives the citizens the freedom to speech, religion, to assemble, and to petition.
The first amendment gives the people the freedom of speech, which includes gestures, freedom in the press, and other forms of expression. This amendment also allows people to peacefully come together to petition the government for any problems they would like to have resolved.
As an American citizen, we are guaranteed many freedoms through the Constitution. The first amendment in the Constitution states that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances,” (US Const. amend. I). This means that all people have the right to assemble a protest peacefully, and Congress in unable to prevent this practice. However, in recent years this has become controversial because many residents question how much protesters can get away with before a demonstration becomes turbulent. Because of this question, there have been many cases in which law enforcement has become involved in rallies. This essay will explore when law enforcement became involved in rallies, and when they did not.
The First Amendment allows citizens the freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition. In other words, the government is prohibited by the Constitution from interfering with practices regarding religion, nonviolent protests/rallies, with what citizens have to say, and where citizens
All of these freedoms mean you can do what you want as long as it does not harm someone else. That is all. But we, as Americans, are prone to believe the opposite. We believe that if you believe in this or that, then you will surely hurt someone. We believe any form of protest or being different is a bad thing. While I believe everyone has the right to do what they want, most do not feel that way. The First Amendment protects people from the people who think that different is a bad thing. That is what is good in our country and what we need to stand by, in my
The first amendment states,”People have the freedom of religion, speech, press; and the right to assemble peacefully and petition the government.”
Many decisions had to be made when approaching discrimination and segregation; many wanted this to end. The debate on what was best to approach the dangers of fighting for what you believed was weighed down to two options; violent protests or nonviolent protests. In the graphic novel titled “March” written and experienced by John Lewis himself with designs by Nate Powell, depicts the struggles of civil rights and the fight to earn it. The novel goes off to show mostly nonviolent protests, but outside of the novel during the 1960’s depicts and describes a different approach; Violent and free Protests. Two of the most impactful civil rights leaders Malcolm X and Stokely Carmichael despised the clean and peaceful protests as they thought it was
The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution says, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.” In other words, U.S. citizens have the freedom of religion, speech, and press. This amendment also gives people the right to peacefully assemble and petition the government. We use all of the freedoms and rights the First Amendment protects every day. For example, we practice the religion of our choice, state our opinions, and express our ideas through many written ways, such
“The concept of righteous civil disobedience is incompatible with the concept of the American legal system.”
The First Amendment of the Bill of Rights protects the freedom of speech, religion, and press form government limitations and over reach. The acts of burning an American Flag in protest, a company’s billboard advertisement, and a person choosing to or not to place their hand over their heart are for the national anthem are all examples of what the Supreme Court of the United States has ruled as expressions of speech and are covered actions by the First Amendment.
Here in America, people have the right to protest and speak their views granted by the first Amendment in their Constitution. Reading or watching the news lately, there are a lot of protests happening. People are gathering and protesting so many different things all over the world right now and America is no different. However, what the media shows in America are arrests of protestors by security and police, both of which attack them at times, using pepper spray and other brutal methods. How is this behavior allowed? Pauline Maier sums up what the issue at hand is, “The affection with which Americans regard the three “founding documents” of the United States has not been constant over time.” (Maier pg3). American protestors are at times fighting for equal rights as equal citizens. While many others are asking for justice due to corruption in Wall Street, Banks, and American Government; however, the people who don’t hold affection for the first Amendment have been shown in the media as an increasingly violent force against those who support it. Should people be allowed to protest regardless of their cause, and without any execution of force unless provoked? I believe they should have this right and be guaranteed safety in acting on it. With these ideas in mind, America’s first Amendment is being contradicted by US government authority and private authority figures because these same people have enacted numerous assaults on people using their first amendment rights.
The first amendment gives U.S. individuals the right and freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition. The freedom of religion lets citizens to participate and hold religious beliefs, or not to. The freedom of speech consists of both verbal and nonverbal communication to express and be exposed to different opinions and views. The freedom of press permits the obtainment and publication of information or opinions without government control or punishment. The freedom of assembly enables the meeting with a group of people to protest for economic, political, or religious concerns. The freedom of petition allows citizens to take part in the process of
Unfortunately, some ease the moment to benefit by violence. Sadly, today what I have read and seen televised are counterproductive where the purpose of the gathering is defeated. When rioters’ damages properties by throwing bottles, breaking into buildings, burning of shopping centers, groceries stores, and restaurants. The consequences lead to injuries, arrest, unemployment and death. According to The Labor Market Effects of the 1960s Riots, their findings pointed out that the 60s riot had economically significant negative effects on blacks' income and employment (Francis, 2004) Several riots in the past was due to the growing inequality experienced by the minorities. Also, people fought for reforms, and the rights to vote. Today, people have those Civil Rights, and several individuals are disciplined and aware of the consequences of a riot. Again, people have learned to dialogue, through nonviolent channels of communication expressing their frustration and sharing with the world via social media. The Riots left more minorities without a jobs, public viewed their communities as troubled, unrest and some even relocate, and such neighborhoods became a target of the law
Moreover, in the late sixties, there was a riot in a black region of LA named Watts. The intensity of this rally was so strong, that thirty-four people died. Many charges of property damage were also executed (“Civil”, 3). These riots were an effective way to get the public’s attention, but unfortunately were extremely dangerous. In most cases, the police would turn to brutal actions against these citizens (Anderson,