The tragic death of George Floyd while in custody of Minneapolis police has sparked emotional reaction across the United States and prompted peaceful protests that in some cases have unfortunately turned violent and led to looting.
Such was the case in Los Angeles on Saturday, when a Black Lives Matter movement gathered in Pan Pacific Park. However, as the crowd left the gathering, with some continuing to march throughout the city, there were clashes with police, vandalism and the destruction of local businesses.
The L.A. riots and those in other major cities have unfortunately overshadowed the initial message of standing against racism, which several professional sports teams, celebrities and other public figures have worked to keep the focus on.