Hundreds of protesters participate in a “Justice for Trayvon” rally at the federal courthouse in downtown Los Angeles yesterday. The demonstration was part of a 100-city effort to demand a federal investigation into possible violations of Travyon Martin’s civil rights. A jury in Sanford, Florida last Saturday found George Zimmerman, a volunteer neighbuorhood watchman, not guilty of shooting Martin dead.
MIAMI, Florida: Hundreds of people attended peaceful vigils in several US cities yesterday to protest a not-guilty verdict in the shooting death of unarmed black teenager Trayvon Martin.
The protests — called to press for federal action in the emotionally charged case — drew small but fervent crowds in New York, Washington and Miami where the slain teen’s father spoke.
“The death of my son, we believe, has to make changes in our society and repeal the laws that allow to kill somebody just because someone thinks (he) is suspect,” Tracy Martin said in Miami.
Superstar couple Jay Z and Beyonce joined a crowd of several thousand at a Manhattan rally addressed by Trayvon’s mother, Sybrina Fulton, and civil rights leader Al Sharpton.
Briefly overcome with emotion as she thanked the crowd for turning out, Fulton vowed to keep fighting to ensure her son’s death leads to meaningful change but pleaded for campaigners to ensure the protests did not spill over into unrest.
“Trayvon would be proud,” she told the crowd. “Not only do I have to do what I have to do for Trayvon, I’m going to work for your children as well.”
In Miami, between 300 and 500 people turned out for the rally outside the city’s civic centre, wearing T-shirts with pictures of Trayvon and messages like “We want justice, equal justice.”
The protests came a day after President Barack Obama publicly identified with the slain 17-year-old.
AFP
