3.+RIOTS

= Riots of 1968: = Chicago Riot: After the assassination of MLK, violence erupted in parts of Chicago, eventually consuming a 28-block stretch. The next day the mayor enforced a curfew on anyone under the age of 21, closed streets, and banned the sale of guns, ammunition, and flammable material. Thousands of policemen were sent to protect firefighters and over 5,000 troops were ordered into the city by President Lyndon B. Johnson. People were not allowed to congregate in riot areas, or were subject to being tear gassed. Several people died, many were injured. There were over a hundred fires, destroying many buildings and homes, leaving hundreds of people homeless.

Washington, D.C Riot: After the death of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. five days of riots broke out in Washington D.C. . Crowds of as many as 20, 000 people got together and President Lyndon B. Johnson sent more than 10,000 troops to help control the situation and contain the riots. A curfew was enforced and the sales of certain items were banned. Millions of dollars worth of damage was caused, more people died here and were injured than in Chicago, and more than a thousand buildings were burned.

Riots such as these were occurring throughout the entire country. As a result on April 10, 1968, Congress attached Title 18, the ‘anti-riot’ provision, to the Civil Rights Act.

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