HUNTSVILLE, AL (WAFF) -
Hundreds marched on the Alabama A&M campus Friday night to support the family of Florida teenager Trayvon Martin.
17-year-old Martin was shot and killed last month in Sanford, Florida by 28-year-old George Zimmerman. Zimmerman claims it was in self-defense and police have not charged him. Martin was an African-American, and Zimmerman is white. The fatal shooting and lack of an arrest have ignited debate about racism nationwide.
Many wore hooded sweatshirts in honor of Martin who wore a hoodie the night he was killed. Organizers called the event the, "1,000 Hoods March."
"This here is a way to say we stand behind Trayvon Martins Family," said Alabama A&M alum and event organizer Shamika Minisee. "Prejudice is not dead. And I'm learning that a kid can killed for walking down the street for wearing his hood because it's raining."
Some said they see the tragedy as a chance to learn., and for Americans to realize, for all of the progress made, there remains racial tension in the air.
"I want to see some justice served. I want to see this man pay for what he's done. Because, whether it was black, white or otherwise, there was some injustice there. And that man needs to be brought before trial," said Student Government Association President Andrew Foster. "It could have been me. Could have been my brother, It could have been one of my friends. It could have been a student at A&M. It could have been anybody. Just the fact that something like that could happen, it's frightening."
The event culminated with a candlelight vigil highlighted by singing and poetry readings.
Related Stories:
Copyright 2012 WAFF. All rights reserved.
Hundreds gather at Alabama A&M for '1,000 Hoods March' late Friday night.
All content © Copyright 2000 - 2013 WorldNow and WSFA, a Raycom Media Station.
