Edward James Olmos

While the 1992 so-called "Rodney King" riots was going on in Los Angeles, EJO decided that something positive had to be done to stop the violence and protect lives and property. He grabbed a broom and hit the streets.
About the event he says: "I was out on the morning that the military were scheduled to start to shoot to kill anyone left on the streets. That's why I went out. I wanted to see if they would shoot me with a broom in my hand. Then, people saw it and turned out by the tens of thousands...
The riot had not stopped - not until the afternoon of the Friday we went out.
It's funny how people think we went out after the fact. We were the fact of why the riot stopped. One person with a broom in his hands.... it just happened to be me."