The shooting death of Florida teen Trayvon Martin has reverberated across the country — now, NYC will play host to a march of people who are calling for justice in a case that has fascinated the nation.
The “1,000,000 Hoodie March for Trayvon Martin” will leave at 6 p.m. tonight from Union Square. Participants are encouraged to wear hooded sweatshirts as a symbol of racial profiling, which many say played a role in Martin’s death.
Check out photos of the march here
Martin, 17, was walking back to his father’s house from a convenience store when he was shot and killed in a backyard. Volunteer neighborhood watchman George Zimmerman placed a 911 call requesting police assistance when he saw Martin walking. 911 recordings revealed that he began following Martin, even after the operator told him he didn’t need to do that. Zimmerman later admitted to police that he shot Martin. He has not yet been charged, though the FBI is now involved in the investigation.
Tonight’s march was planned by InterOccupy, an organization that fosters communication throughout different faucets of the Occupy Wall Street movement.
“A black person in a hoodie isn’t automatically ‘suspicious.’ Let’s put an end to racial profiling!” organizers declared on the invitation to the march.
Martin’s death has sparked nationwide outcry and several notable celebrities have called for justice. As Complex reported, director Spike Lee tweeted about tonight’s march, asking for more information.
InterOccupy is also asking supporters to sign a petition posted on Change.org by Martin’s parents. It calls for the prosecution of George Zimmerman. More than 800,000 people have signed it.
