Thousands of protesters took to the streets in more than 100 cities across United States, a week week after George Zimmerman was cleared of murdering unarmed black teenager Trayvon Martin.
The “Justice for Trayvon” protests were ornganized in at least 100 other cities across America, including Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles and Miami.
A Florida jury agreed that George Zimmerman, the man accused of murdering Trayvon Martin, was found not guilty of second-degree murder and manslaughter, and killed the 17-year-old in self-defence.
In a surprise appearance before reporters six days after the verdict, Obama spoke eloquently about Trayvon’s family showing grace in the aftermath of the verdict, and he reiterated his understanding of the pain the African-American community feels over the outcome of the trial and the larger problem of racial profiling.
“You know, when Trayvon Martin was first shot, I said that this could have been my son. Another way of saying that is Trayvon Martin could have been me, 35 years ago,” Obama told reporters at the White House on Friday.
In the meantime the demonstrators urged federal charges to be brought against Mr Zimmerman, 29, over the February 2012 incident.
The National Action Network, headedby civil rights activist the Reverend Al Sharpton led the protests agains the court’s decision. “We are not coming out with violence, we are coming to denounce violence. The violence that was perpetrated on an unarmed, innocent man named Trayvon Martin,” Mr Sharpton quoted by BBC while speaking at a rally in New York.
Mr. Shapton urged that he wanted to see the scrapping of “stand your ground” self-defence laws, such as that in force in Florida. “We are trying to change laws so that this never, ever happens again,” he said.
The teenager’s mother, Sybrina Fulton, told the crowd: “Today it was my son. Tomorrow it might be yours.”
