Editing Malcolm X (section)

=== Lack of Nation of Islam response to LAPD violence ===
In late 1961, there were violent confrontations between the Nation of Islam members and police in [[South Los Angeles|South Central Los Angeles]], and numerous Muslims were arrested. They were acquitted, but tensions had been raised. Just after midnight on April{{nbsp}}27, 1962, two [[Los Angeles Police Department|LAPD]] officers, unprovoked, shoved and beat several Muslims outside Temple Number 27. A large crowd of angry Muslims emerged from the mosque and the officers attempted to intimidate them.<ref name="Branch"/><ref name="Marable205"/>

One officer was disarmed; his partner was shot in the elbow by a third officer. More than 70 backup officers arrived who then raided the mosque and randomly beat Nation of Islam members. Police officers shot seven Muslims, including William X Rogers, who was hit in the back and paralyzed for life, and Ronald Stokes, a Korean War veteran, who was shot from behind while raising his hands over his head to surrender, killing him.<ref name="Branch">{{harvnb|Branch|1998|pp=3–20}}.</ref><ref name="Marable205">{{harvnb|Marable|2011|pp=205–210}}.</ref>

A number of Muslims were indicted after the event, but no charges were laid against the police. The coroner ruled that Stokes's killing was justified. To Malcolm&nbsp;X, the desecration of the mosque and the associated violence demanded action, and he used what Louis{{nbsp}}X (later Louis Farrakhan) later called his "gangsterlike past" to rally the more hardened of the Nation of Islam members to take violent revenge against the police.<ref name="Branch" /><ref name="Marable205" />

Malcolm&nbsp;X sought Elijah Muhammad's approval which was denied, stunning Malcolm&nbsp;X. Malcolm&nbsp;X was again blocked by Elijah Muhammad when he spoke of the Nation of Islam starting to work with civil rights organizations, local Black politicians, and religious groups. Louis{{nbsp}}X saw this as an important turning point in the deteriorating relationship between Malcolm&nbsp;X and Muhammad.<ref name="Branch" /><ref name="Marable205" />