Attorney A. L. Wirin with Rena Frye and her sons, Ronald and Marquette at Los Angeles courthouse, 1965

Description

34.0312428983087, -118.267905414104, FIGURES IN RIOT CASE-Attorney A. L. Wirin, left, with Mrs. Rena Frye, accused of interfering with officers who arrested her sons, Ronald, center, and Marquette, right. Incident touched off riot., The incident that is credited to starting the 1965 Watts Riot involved Marquette and Ronald Frye who on August 11, 1965 were stopped by a police officer for erratic driving. While being questioned their mother, Rena arrived. At some point an altercation between the police and the three family members ensued which led to the arrest of all three. A crowd that had gathered and were angered by the treatment of the family began throwing bottles at the police., Access to this collection is generously supported by Arcadia funds.