Text of Bradley’s Address to the City

Mayor Tom Bradley’s statement Friday night at City Hall:

“Good evening. The jury in the Rodney King civil rights trial has asked to return to the courthouse at 7 o’clock tomorrow morning. No one knows exactly what will happen tomorrow.

“In the meantime, we should ignore all rumors and speculation. They only serve to heighten anxiety. Let’s all take a deep breath. Let’s all keep cool.

“We may all have our own idea of how this trial should turn out. But whatever the outcome, it is now time for Los Angeles, as a city, as a people, to look beyond this trial. We must turn our attention away from courtrooms and toward our children, toward our neighbors and toward the challenges we face.

“We must devote every ounce of our being to bridging our differences, creating jobs and seeking fairness and equality. In this hour, and over the next days, I know in my heart that the overwhelming majority of our residents will accept whatever happens with calmness and reason regardless of their personal feelings. To them I say, keep the peace, because without it there can be no justice. To them I pledge I will do everything in my power to maintain public order to spare this city the agony we went through last year.

“To those who may be itching for an excuse to harm our neighbors, I have this warning: You will not get away with it, so don’t even try.

“Finally, I want to appeal to the innate goodness of all of our people in all of our neighborhoods from Chatsworth to Watts, from Boyle Heights to Pacific Palisades, to sustain one another in one common resolve to keep our city whole.

“Thank you, and good night.”