The Newark Rebellion - History Essay Example

The Newark Rebellion took place in the summer of 1967. The Newark Rebellion was preceded by certain events. A black taxi driver by the name of John Smith was arrested by two white cops, within eyesight of the fourth precinct. The white police officers dragged Smith in front of hundreds of people who were out on the street. The incident happened in proximity to Hayes Homes high-rise apartments. Smith was later dragged inside a police station that was nearby where he was tortured by eight cops. Smith was beaten so badly by the police officers that he had to be hospitalized. There were people gathered around the police station who presumed he was dead, based on the intensity of the beatings. Some members of the crowd thought that he was barely alive. There are members of several peoples action groups in Newark who wanted to corral the anger of the crowd and use it to direct a demonstration at Newark City Hall. A small picket was later set by members of the action groups to push for the establishment of a police review board. However, there was somebody who made a firebomb made up of gasoline and threw it at the police station. The fire bomb angered police officers, and they came to the streets to confront the crowd.

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There was property damage during the Newark rebellion. People plundered and looted shops and stores in the course of the demonstrations. Children as young as six years of age went to plunder stores and take the plundered items to their parents. Teenagers were the main movers of looted items from plundered stores. Teenagers were quick at smashing windows of shops and stores. Apparently, even the elderly supported the looting and the plundering that was going on in the course of the Newark rebellion. Many people were joyful about the looting; most of them knew that such an occasion was likely not to happen again. Old people urged young people to get what they could get because things were likely to get back to normal soon. The old people lived their revenge for the unfair way in which the system had treated them by encouraging young people to engage in plunder.

The Newark rebellion was full of violence. The violence that was demonstrated by the protesters was an emotional expression of anger against police brutality that had for many years been perpetrated by police officers against racial and ethnic minorities in the United States. There was a large confrontation between police officers and a large number of people in the city of Newark. Police officers used force in trying to confront the crowd. As a result, a curfew was declared. Individuals who violated the curfew were in for a rough treatment if caught by police officers. Individuals who were caught driving after curfew hours had their vehicles searched for ammunitions and guns. It was believed that any person who was in possession of guns and ammunitions intended to supply the weapons to the demonstrators who had been angered by the way John Smith had been beaten up by police officers. Individuals who were caught ferrying guns and ammunitions were killed on the spot by police officers. During the riots, police inflicted injuries on the rioters. Individuals who were caught red-handed looting items from shops and stores were shot on the spot by police officers.

The House Un-American Activities Committee blamed the Newark Rebellion on the Newark Community Union Project (NCUP), the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) and the United Community Corporation (UCC). Members of the organizations and their associates were blamed for the Newark rebellion.