The Tompkins Park Riots

Much of Rent is based on the factors that led up to the 1988 riots in Tompkins Square Park.

Here's a quick overview and accompanying images of the Lower East Side by photographer Q. Sakamaki: Tompkins Square Park

More of Sakamaki's photos. Click on the box in the middle of the screen and be sure to read the captions below the images: Tompkins Sq. Park Legacy

More articles on the Tompkins Park riots:

• "Tompkins Square Riot Memories"
• NY Times Article about the riot
• Another NY Times Article
• This took place a couple years after the first riots, but it's a good description of the culture of the neighborhood
• Look back 20 years after the riot - talks about gentrification in the neighborhood
• Selling the Lower East Side: More about gentrification and housing issues

Videos about the Tompkins Square Riots

• Activist Paul DeRienzo talks about the Tompkins Park riots
• News broadcast about the Tompkins Square riot
• Former NYC Mayor Ed Koch on the riots

More picture of the Tompkins Park riots. Click on "photographs," then "squatters."

This page has links to other articles and audio interviews with people who participated in the riots. The Mp3s are all downloadable: The "Police Riot" Tape Timeline

A current article about housing in Alphabet City - it's very similar to what was going on back in the day...