Riots In The Streets of Miami In May of 1980 as the summer heat was just flooding the streets of Florida, something else flooded the streets as well. Angry race rioters swept through the streets of the Miami-Dade area, angry over the death of their own, motorcyclist Arthur McDuffie. Nine years later, not far into the new year, another motorcyclist was killed. These race rioters ran rampant through the streets of the Overtown Miami area, after the death of yet another unarmed black man. These people were angry, and there was no going back for Miami. Twice during the 1980’s racial riots broke out due to the deaths of these men (“1980 Highlights in Picture” 104)), but what happened? Miami lost a lot of their city, and a lot of their money, in…show more content… In May of 1980 this all white jury made the decision to acquit these four policemen, claiming that there was no proof that the men actually did anything to McDuffie, and there weren’t enough reliable witnesses (“No Applause Please” 703). When it was released that these four “innocent” men were acquitted, the people of Miami went bizerk. The people started small, with things such as protests, but it didn’t take long for the full blown riots to occur. Robbery and Arson were popular actions. People were angry, and they didn’t want to have to watch the “unfairness and injustice” of it all ever again. Eighteen people were killed during this ugly riot (Schmalz 1). “I had nightmares about the Arthur McDuffie slaying and the Miami Riots. When I was a grown woman and watched the drama play out again and the L.A.P.D, My wounds at the injustice were so deep,” said one woman looking back on the first of the Miami riots (“No Applause Please” 703). People were terrified, but so oblivious of the many Miami race riots of the years to…show more content… Officer Lozano took a combat stance and shot Lloyd as he passed by, because he was not surrendering to the other officer. LLoyd had a passenger, Allan Blanchard, who died the next day due to the injuries of the crash that occurred after Lloyd was shot down. The officer, William Lozano, was arrested and accused with two counts of manslaughter with a firearm. He claimed that the shooting was an act of self-defense because the motorcycle could run him down. After this statement was released, the citizens of Miami again went crazy (Schmalz 1). The riots broke out once again in the streets of Overtown-Miami. The people went into another rage of looting and arson, and skipped the protests all together. People were throwing rocks and other large objects at passing by motorists. Everyone was outraged that the court would even give this case a second glance after the claim of self-defense was released. Sixteen people were killed, and around three hundred were injured by the brutalities of these angry citizens. This sadly would not be the end of racial riots in Miami, but the last of those that would occur in the 1980’ (Schmalz