In 1991 an enormous controversy erupted after five los angeles police officers were caught on tape beating a motorist named rodney king. although there continues to be much controversy over the event, many people see it as a blatant act of discrimination. under what circumstances would this beating be considered institutional discrimination

It would be considered institutional discrimination if the institution of the Los Angeles Police department were shown to be tolerant of or supportive of this kind of conduct by police officers.

In fact, an independent commission that studied the Los Angeles Police Department after the publicized beating of Rodney King found that the LAPD had been an institution tolerant of excessive force and overt racism by its officers, and proposed that Daryl Gates, the police chief at the time, should step down from his leadership post.  He did not immediately do so, but did resign in 1992.  After his resignation, a second commission (The Webster Commission, named after its chairman), also leveled heavy criticism at the LAPD and Gates in particular.