A Florida jury’s acquittal of George Zimmerman, a white-Hispanic neighbourhood watch volunteer, in the shooting death of unarmed black teenager Trayvon Martin has sparked off protests in cities across America, triggering a renewed national debate over racial profiling and use of guns.
large crowds took to the streets in New York, Washington, San Francisco, los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Atlanta and several other cities, decrying the verdict as a miscarriage of justice. They chanted and carried placards, demanding: “Jail racist killers, not black youth,” “Justice for Trayvon Martin: It’s not over”.
With passions running high, the Department of Justice has begun a review of the case to determine if criminal civil rights charges can be brought against Zimmerman, who was accused of profiling Martin before the altercation that led to the fatal shooting in a gated community in Sanford, Florida on February 26, 2012.
Confirming the federal move, the department said in a statement that its civil rights division will review the evidence from the FBI and the Florida trial. “Experienced federal prosecutors will determine whether the evidence reveals a prosecutable violation of any of the limited federal criminal civil rights statutes within our jurisdiction, and whether federal prosecution is appropriate,” it said.
Separately, there is a possibility of the Martin family coming up with a civil suit against Zimmerman, who was acquitted of the charges of second-degree murder as well as the lesser charge of manslaughter.
The growing anger prompted President Barack Obama to issue an appeal for calm. Terming Martin’s death a tragedy not just for his family and one community, but for the whole of America, Obama said: “But we are a nation of laws, and a jury has spoken. I now ask every American to respect the call for calm reflection from two parents who lost their young son.”
“And as we do, we should ask ourselves if we’re doing all we can to widen the circle of compassion and understanding in our own communities. We should ask ourselves if we’re doing all we can to stem the tide of gun violence that claims too many lives across this country on a daily basis,” he said.
The NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People) is spearheading the protests, with support from a host of civil rights groups. In a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder, the NAACP said that with the acquittal of Zimmerman, it was now time for his department to act.