The ending of “Do the Right Thing,” a critically acclaimed 1989 film by Spike Lee, is a powerful and complex culmination of the movie’s exploration of racial tensions. The film is set on a hot summer day in a Brooklyn neighborhood and follows the interactions of its diverse residents.

The climax of the film occurs after a series of escalating conflicts between the African-American residents and the Italian-American owners of a local pizzeria. Tensions boil over when Radio Raheem, a young black man who constantly plays Public Enemy’s “Fight the Power” on his boombox, confronts the pizzeria owner, Sal, about the lack of African-American representation on his “Wall of Fame.” The confrontation turns violent when Sal smashes Raheem’s boombox, leading to a fight that spills out onto the street. The police arrive and, in a tragic turn of events, kill Radio Raheem.

The crowd, witnessing this injustice, becomes enraged. In a moment of anger and grief, Mookie, the film’s protagonist played by Spike Lee, throws a trash can through the window of Sal’s pizzeria, inciting the crowd to attack and ultimately burn down the establishment. This act of destruction brings the film’s exploration of racial tension and violence to a head.

After the riot, the film shows the aftermath of the night’s events. The next day, Mookie confronts Sal about his wages, leading to a tense but somewhat reconciliatory exchange where Sal pays him. This interaction leaves their relationship and the future of the community uncertain.

The film concludes with two contrasting quotes about violence from Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, followed by a photograph of the two leaders shaking hands. This juxtaposition highlights the film’s exploration of the different responses to oppression and racial injustice.

Spike Lee dedicates the film to the families of six victims of brutality or racial violence, further emphasizing the film’s focus on the real-life implications of racial tension and violence​​.