The riots in Alma-Ata marked a significant turning point in the political landscape of Soviet Kazakhstan. After Mikhail Gorbachev announced the dismissal of Dinmukhamed Kunaev, who had served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan for over 16 years, the ethnic Kazakh populace reacted with outrage. Kunaev was seen as a leader who understood and represented Kazakh interests, and his replacement by Gennady Kolbin, an ethnic Russian and a political outsider, fueled local resentment. Many Kazakhs viewed this appointment as a continuation of the Soviet Union's policy of Russification that marginalized local leadership and identity.

As protests began, they were initially peaceful but quickly turned into violent demonstrations when police attempted to suppress the crowds. Protesters called for the reinstatement of Kunaev and demanded greater autonomy and respect for Kazakh culture. The situation escalated, leading to clashes with law enforcement, numerous injuries, and a significant military presence in the city to restore order. This event set the stage for subsequent political movements in Kazakhstan as the discontent among the Kazakh population grew stronger.

In the context of the broader policies of glasnost and perestroika advocated by Gorbachev, the Alma-Ata riots exemplified how local ethnic grievances erupted amid the weakening of central Soviet authority. The events demonstrated the volatility of national identities within the Soviet Union and signaled a shift in attitudes among the local population towards their governance and cultural rights.