Trayvon Martin Rally Draws Hundreds to Downtown Miami

Hundreds of protestors marched through downtown Miami on Saturday afternoon as part of a nationwide vigil for local teenager Trayvon Martin, one week after his killer, George Zimmerman, was found not guilty of murdering him. Miami's rally, which featured a speech from Trayvon's father, Tracy Martin, brought about 200 to...

By New Times staff

July 20, 2013

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Hundreds of protestors marched through downtown Miami on Saturday afternoon as part of a nationwide vigil for local teenager Trayvon Martin, one week after his killer, George Zimmerman, was found not guilty of murdering him.

Miami's rally, which featured a speech from Trayvon's father, Tracy Martin, brought about 200 to Miami's federal courthouse to demand federal charges against Zimmerman and a repeal of Florida's Stand Your Ground law.

"No justice, no peace," shouted Liberty City activist Renita Holmes, as she led a march from the courthouse into Overtown. "Justice was denied for Trayvon."

The rally was one of about 100 nationwide organized by Rev. Al Sharpton's National Action Network. In New York, Sharpton reiterated that changing Stand Your Ground laws in Florida and other states was his top priority after Zimmerman's acquittal.

"We are trying to change laws so that this never, ever happens again," Sharpton according to the Miami Herald.

In Miami, Tracy Martin echoed that message a few minutes before noon.

Other Florida cities holding vigils today include Gainesville, Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville, Fort Myers and Fort Pierce.

Here's the Miami crowd at the courthouse:

-- Story by Theo Karantsalis

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