Trump Jr. reshares 'Rooftop Korean' meme as protests over immigration crackdown rage in LA

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Trump Jr. reshares 'Rooftop Korean' meme as protests over immigration crackdown rage in LA

A picture uploaded by Donald Trump Jr. on Truth Social on June 9 reads, ″Make Rooftop Koreans Great Again!″ [SCREEN CAPTURE]

A picture uploaded by Donald Trump Jr. on Truth Social on June 9 reads, ″Make Rooftop Koreans Great Again!″ [SCREEN CAPTURE]

 
As protests against the Donald Trump administration’s immigration crackdown continued for a fourth day in Los Angeles, Donald Trump Jr., the eldest son of the president, reposted a photo of a Korean person holding a gun on a rooftop.
 
Trump Jr. shared the image on Truth Social with the caption, “Make Rooftop Koreans Great Again!” on Monday.
 

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The reshared photo depicts an armed man, seemingly of Korean descent, who took to the rooftops of shops owned by Koreans and people of Korean ethnicity during the 1992 Los Angeles riots with other business owners. At the time, Koreatown store owners formed vigilante groups to defend their businesses — a scene that has since become iconic and contentious.
 
During the 1992 riots, the shop owners became targets after police forces withdrew from certain areas. With no official protection, they armed themselves with guns and ammunition and took positions on rooftops to guard their stores. Thanks to these efforts, there were no direct deaths of anyone of Korean ethnicity caused by the rioters.
 
However, the material damage was significant. The total estimated damage from the riots was $1 billion, and $400 million of that was suffered by the Koreatown shops and businesses. Most of the victims received little to no compensation from local or federal authorities.
 
A picture of a Korean American man during the 1992 Los Angeles riots [AP/YONHAP]

A picture of a Korean American man during the 1992 Los Angeles riots [AP/YONHAP]

 
The six-day riot left parts of Los Angeles in a state of lawlessness. The situation was so dire that a curfew and school closures were enacted. Rioters assaulted drivers after stopping their vehicles, looted stores and set fires. In total, 63 people were killed and more than 2,300 were injured.
 
The 1992 riots were triggered by public outrage over police brutality and perceived injustice in the judicial system. Tensions boiled over after four white police officers were acquitted despite video evidence showing them brutally beating Rodney King, a Black man. The incident sparked widespread anger in the Black community, leading to protests that eventually escalated into riots as armed gangs joined in.
 
California Gov. Pete Wilson and Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley at the time requested the deployment of the National Guard, which was approved by then-President George H. W. Bush.
 
In contrast, the ongoing protests in Los Angeles have so far resulted in minimal injuries or damage to businesses. The New York Times reported Sunday that the current protests against the immigration crackdown are not comparable in scale or severity to the 1992 riots.
 
Korean Americans during the 1992 Los Angeles riots [JOONGANG ILBO]

Korean Americans during the 1992 Los Angeles riots [JOONGANG ILBO]

Korean Americans during the 1992 Los Angeles riots [JOONGANG ILBO]

Korean Americans during the 1992 Los Angeles riots [JOONGANG ILBO]

 
CNN reported Sunday that the California state government is preparing to sue the Trump administration. The legal threat comes after Trump ordered the deployment of the National Guard without the consent of California Gov. Gavin Newsom, citing the need to suppress the protests.
 
California Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis told CNN that a lawsuit by the state over President Trump's deployment of the National Guard is likely, saying that there is no justification for deploying 2,000 National Guard troops to suppress 400 protesters who local law enforcement is fully capable of handling.
 
Kounalakis added that the state plans to file a lawsuit on Sunday. Newsom has also asked the U.S. Department of Defense to withdraw the National Guard troops currently stationed in Los Angeles, according to CNN.
 
Meanwhile, Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Monday, “So far, there have been no reports of any Korean nationals being arrested or harmed in connection with the protests,” adding that it is “closely monitoring the situation and staying in touch with the Korean community.”


Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY SUH YOU-JIN, PARK HYUN-JU [[email protected]]
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