New York Magazine provides a recounting of the 1992 New York City police riot and its aftermath – an event that both reshaped the politics of the city while slipping into the cultural memory hole. (SLNew York)
The police riot was in response to then-Mayor David Dinkins’ proposal to move the police oversight board to being staffed fully by people not connected to the police. The streets surrounding City Hall were flooded with off duty police officers, many of whom had been drinking, and who then harassed civil officials with racist and sexist comments and epithets. While there were people denouncing the riot immediately after, the police unions used their ties to the press to aggressively downplay the riot, aided by Rudy Giuliani – who had participated in the riot, and would use it to boost his campaign for mayor.