In the tinderbox of Miami's impoverished, ethnically diverse barrios, it doesn't take much to cause an explosion. Last week's immediate spark was the acquittal of six policemen charged in the beating death of a Puerto Rican man, a suspected drug dealer. Within hours, hundreds of Puerto Rican teenagers were rampaging through the city's mostly Hispanic Wynwood section, stoning cars, overturning vehicles, torching buildings and looting scores of local stores. There were no serious injuries, but property damage totaled more than $2.9 million and 13 people were arrested.
One reason for the rioting was that, as a local resident put it, the...