Exactly one week after George Zimmerman was acquitted for the murder of unarmed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, the nation came together to protest the verdict in a series of rallies across the country.
Rev. Al Sharpton’s National Action Network organized the “Justice for Trayvon” rallies and vigils, which took place Saturday outside federal buildings in at least 100 cities, including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami, Birmingham and others.
In Miami, the father of Trayvon Martin, Tracy Martin, led a group of protesters who began gathering in the wee hours of Saturday morning. In New York, the mother of Trayvon Martin, Sybrina Fulton, was joined by Rev. Sharpton, recording artists Beyonce’ and Jay-Z, and hundreds of ordinary citizens.
Across all the rallies, chants of “Justice! Justice! Justice! … Now! Now! Now!” “‘We won’t forget.” “No justice! No peace!” rang out loud and proud. Many participants sang hymns, prayed and held hands, while others carried signs that read “Who’s next?” “I am Trayvon Martin.” “Enough Is Enough.”
“This could be any one of our children,” Tracy Martin said of his son. “Our mission now is to make sure that this doesn’t happen to your child.”
“Today it was my son. Tomorrow it might be yours,” Sybrina Fulton said.
