Video Of Protests and Riots in California After Zimmerman Verdict. Dozens gathered on the streets of Oakland, California in protest hours after a jury acquitted George Zimmerman in the death of Trayvon Martin.
Americans angry at the acquittal of George Zimmerman over the death of Trayvon Martin took to the streets in US cities throughout Saturday night, with more protests expected today.
Spontaneous marches of varying sizes erupted in cities including San Francisco, Chicago, Washington, Atlanta and Philadelphia and were largely peaceful, although there were sporadic acts of vandalism.
The protesters appeared to be heeding the advice of officials and others who urged them not to resort to violence.
Civil rights leader Jesse Jackson tweeted within minutes of the acquittal: "Avoid violence, it will lead to more tragedies. Find a way for self construction not deconstruction in this time of despair."
Several hundred demonstrators marched peacefully amid a heavy police presence in downtown San Francisco soon after the verdict. Many carried signs with slogans such as "The people say guilty".
Hours later angry protesters marching through Oakland - just across the bay from San Francisco - spray-painted cars and smashed windows, helicopter video footage posted by the Oakland Tribune showed. One vandalised vehicle was a police cruiser.
In Chicago, to the cry of "No justice, no peace! No racist police!" a crowd of activists held a noisy downtown rally, the Chicago Tribune reported, while protesters gathered at Times Square in New York to vent their anger
Los Angeles police declared a "citywide tactical alert" when some 200 demonstrators gathered at a park to demonstrate, but police later told local media that it was as a precaution, and that there had been no acts of violence.
In Washington, dozens of mostly African-American youths marched chanting slogans in a city neighbourhood. They were followed closely by patrol vehicles, one journalist reported.
One Washington protester said: "This shows that our children really are not safe.
"Anybody can do anything to them while they are out there minding their business so I think it's a sad day for our justice system and there needs to be some reform. People really need to think about the decision that was made today."
The decision drew angry shouts from some of the dozens of demonstrators who had gathered on the streets but another protester said the outcome of the trial was expected.
"There is nobody out here that is surprised about what took place this evening. People are disappointed but not surprised," he said.
A crowd of several hundred gathered all day Saturday outside the courthouse in Sanford, Florida -- and many were outraged when the verdict was read.
"It's the end of our justice system," said Ashton Summer, a 20-year-old Puerto Rican. "Justice is not equal for everyone."
The ANSWER coalition, which helped organise large protest rallies during the Iraq war, said it would hold marches Sunday in seven US cities, as well as three separate ones in New York.
Celebrities also reacted. Beyonce called at a Nashville concert for a moment of silence for Martin. Elsewhere, rapper Young Jeezy released a song in Martin's memory and Russell Simmons called for a peace.
Martin family attorney Benjamin Crump acknowledged the disappointment of Trayvon Martin's supporters. However, he said, "for Trayvon to rest in peace, we must all be peaceful".
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