Miami Liberty City Riot (1980)

The Miami riot was the first riot ever since the late 1960s. It all started In December of 1979 there was a plethora of Miami Dade police on a high speed chase with an African American motorist. The reports stated that the chase ended with the motorist crashing his motorcycle. But it turns out there was another police report stating that the cops beat him to death.In may of1980 the cops went to trial and all of the cops were found not guilty.

The Miami riot was the first riot ever since the late 1960s. It all started In December of 1979 there was a plethora of Miami Dade police on a high speed chase with an African American motorist. The reports stated that the chase ended with the motorist crashing his motorcycle. But it turns out there was another police report stating that the cops beat him to death.In may of1980 the cops went to trial and all of the cops were found not guilty.

The word got out in the neighborhood that the cops were found not guilty and by night on May 17th the whole liberty city neighborhood took it to the streets.There was a full blown riot and it also moved to the headquarters of the Dade County Department of Public Safety. The protesters started throwing objects at anybody who rode by.The riot was so intense they had to call the Florida National Guard to calm things down. The National Guard blocked off the whole liberty city neighborhood. More than 800 people Had been arrested during the riot and the property damage from the riot was $80 million dollars.

Some have agreed that the riot was an example of the younger civil rights & black power movement. African American Activist Jesse Jackson came in and smooth things out in Miami. This riot was the most intense riot to ever happen in Miami. It definitely would go in the history books.