- Title: USA: Hundreds join Trayvon Martin's mother for New York rally
- Date: 20th July 2013
- Summary: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (JULY 20, 2013) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF SINGERS BEYONCE AND JAY-Z ARRIVING AT ONE POLICE PLAZA REVEREND AL SHARPTON AND TRAYVON MARTIN'S MOTHER SYBRINA FULTON ARRIVING AT ONE POLICE PLAZA SHARPTON AND FULTON WALKING UP TO MICROPHONE STAND (SOUNDBITE) (English) REVEREND AL SHARPTON, CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST, SAYING: "We are going to deal with this 'Stand Your Ground' law. There should not be a law, that means that if you think that you are under threat you got the right to kill somebody. That law hurts blacks, whites, Latinos, Asians. This ain't just a black thing, this is a human thing." CROWD LISTENING HOODY READING "THIS SHOULD NOT KILL ME" (SOUNDBITE) (English) REVEREND AL SHARPTON, CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST, SAYING: "It's time to stand up again. It's time to unite again. It's time to change unjust laws again. We never backed down. We fought to hard, we bled too much blood, we spent too many nights in jail to turn around now." VARIOUS OF FULTON (SOUNDBITE) (English) SYBRINA FULTON, MOTHER OF TRAYVON MARTIN, SAYING: "As I sat in the courtroom it made me think that they were talking about another man. And it wasn't. It was a child who thought as a child, who acted as a child, who behaved as a child. And don't take my word for it. He had a drink and a candy. So not only do I vow to you to do what I can for Trayvon Martin, I promise that I will work hard for your children as well." BEYONCE AND JAY-Z PRAYING PEOPLE LISTENING SIGN READING "BOYCOTT FLORIDA" SIGN READING "TRAYVON IS MY SON" WOMAN LISTENING AMERICAN FLAG WIDE VIEW OF CROWD
- Embargoed: 4th August 2013 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Usa
- Country: USA
- Topics: Crime,Accidents,Entertainment,Domestic Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA1FSL0HDKA1YDH5Z9NUHJRJCPY
- Story Text: Trayvon Martin's mother appeared at a rally in New York City on Saturday (July 20) to express her anger over the acquittal of the man who shot and killed her son.
She was joined by hundreds of protesters, civil rights leaders and the star couple Beyonce and Jay-Z, who gathered in front of One Police Plaza, the headquarters of the New York Police Department one week after a Seminole County jury in central Florida acquitted George Zimmerman of second-degree murder and manslaughter in the incident, where the 17-year-old Martin was shot through the heart.
Some hoisted signs reading "Boycott Florida" and many wore T-shirts with a photo image of Martin wearing a hooded sweatshirt. The protest was organized by the Reverend Al Sharpton, the veteran civil rights activist, who said that one of his most important goals is to change the 'Stand Your Ground' law.
"There should not be a law, that means that if you think that you are under threat you got the right to kill somebody. That law hurts blacks, whites, Latinos, Asians. This ain't just a black thing, this is a human thing," Sharpton told the 200 protesters gathered at the plaza.
"It's time to stand up again. It's time to unite again. It's time to change unjust laws again. We never backed down. We fought to hard, we bled too much blood, we spent too many nights in jail to turn around now," he added.
Martin's mother, Sybrina Fulton said that she will continue her fight for the rights of her son, who was only a child on his way home after buying candy.
"As I sat in the courtroom it made me think that they were talking about another man. And it wasn't. It was a child who thought as a child, who acted as a child, who behaved as a child. And don't take my word for it. He had a drink and a candy," Fulton said.
"So not only do I vow to you to do what I can for Trayvon Martin, I promise that I will work hard for your children as well." - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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