Gainesville, FL – On July 20, 50 activists, faith leader, and community members held a noon vigil outside the Alachua County Courthouse. They gathered to demand the U.S. Department of Justice file charges against George Zimmerman for violating the civil rights of Trayvon Martin. The action was part of the #100citytrayvon initiative by the Reverend Al Sharpton.

San José, CA – A week after the acquittal of George Zimmerman, another rally and march drew more than 250 people, three times the size of the week before. The protest continued to be majority African American with a large number of Chicanos, Mexicanos and Latinos. Many of the protest signs were in Spanish. There were also more middle-aged and older people and a sprinkling of families with children at the rally. At the top of the demand list was that the Department of Justice file civil rights violation charges against George Zimmerman.

Tampa, FL – Two protests demanding justice for Trayvon Martin and that the Department of Justice (DOJ) charge George Zimmerman with violating Martin’s civil rights occurred here July 19 and 20.

Chicago, IL – On July 20, at the Federal Plaza here, almost 3000 people, the vast majority African American, protested in anger at the not guilty verdict in the murder of Trayvon Martin.

Grand Rapids, MI – Protesters gathered at Rosa Parks Circle here, July 20, demanding justice for Trayvon Martin. Led by mothers with their children, they marched to the Federal Building with signs proclaiming, “Justice delayed, but not to be denied – for Trayvon,” and a few African American children held signs “I am Trayvon.”

Newark, NJ – The struggle to get justice for Trayvon Martin continued here, July 20. Over 500 people turned out at the Federal Building to demand a federal civil rights investigation of his murder by George Zimmerman. The rally was called by the National Action Network (NAN.) Speaker after speaker denounced the Zimmerman verdict and contrasted it with the 20-year sentence given Marissa Alexander in the same state of Florida for firing a warning shot in her own defense that harmed no one.

Asheville, NC – 100 people joined the National Day of Action in Downtown Asheville to demand justice for Trayvon Martin, July 20.

Milwaukee, WI – The movement to win justice for Darius Simmons, Derek Williams, Corey Stingley, and Bo Morrison has received a boost from the national attention and outrage over the “not guilty” verdict for Zimmerman. Last week over 300 people shut down major streets in downtown Milwaukee. In similar cases over the last two years, community members led by the Occupy Coalition (Occupy the Hood Milwaukee and Occupy Milwaukee) repeatedly rallied for Derek Williams, Darius Simmons, and other local victims of racist police and vigilante murder.

Tallahassee, FL – After three days of occupying the governor’s office in the Florida capitol building, protesters demanding justice for Trayvon Martin finally secured a meeting with Governor Rick Scott, July 19. Scott met for about 45 minutes with several leaders from Dream Defenders, a student activist organization led by Black and Latino youth. He refused to give into any of the protesters’ demands.

Clarksville, TN – 15 people rallied outside the public library on July 15 to demand justice for Trayvon Martin. People spoke about their outrage that racist murderer George Zimmerman was found not guilty of all charges and of their desire to see him punished for his crime.

Raleigh, NC – On Monday, July 15, over 1500 rallied at the capitol again for the 11th installment of Moral Monday, chanting, “Forward together, not one step back!” Organized by the NAACP (http://www.naacpnc.org/), this week’s rally was focused on demanding an end to the Republican legislature’s attacks on women and demanding an end to racial oppression.

The rulers of the U.S. are waging a war on the oppressed at home and abroad. The murder of Trayvon Martin and the July 13 not guilty verdict for his killer is an indictment of the system we live under. When the rich and powerful talk of justice they lie. Just take a look at what happened in Florida, or Iraq, or so many other places.

Minneapolis, MN – Thousands of people gathered here, July 15, in the Peoples Plaza in front of the Hennepin County Government Center, to demand justice for Trayvon Martin, Terrance Franklin and all victims of police brutality.

Winston-Salem, NC – On July 16, nearly 1000 people came together on Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. to rally in solidarity of Trayvon Martin and to express their outrage at racist vigilante George Zimmerman’s not guilty verdict. The event was organized by Nicole Little, of the Daryl Hunt Project for Freedom and Justice.

Green Bay, WI – A group of about 30 protesters, many from the black community, came out to the Brown County Courthouse July 16 to protest the not guilty verdict of George Zimmerman in the Trayvon Martin killing. Members of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) and Occupy Green Bay were in attendance, along with a diverse group of members of the community.

Jacksonville, FL – About 400 people rallied, July 14, at Hemming Plaza in downtown Jacksonville to protest the outrageous not guilty verdict in the trial of George Zimmerman.

Salt Lake City, UT – In response to the not guilty verdict for George Zimmerman for the murder of Trayvon Martin, protesters took to the streets here. Rallying at the Matheson Courthouse, over 200 activists and community members came together to express their outrage and frustration with the American justice system.

On July 13, an almost all-white jury ruled that George Zimmerman was not guilty on all charges for the murder of Trayvon Martin. While saddened and angered by this verdict, we were not surprised that the U.S. so-called ‘justice system’ has again said that racist cops and vigilantes like Zimmerman have a green light to shoot and kill African Americans.

Minneapolis, MN – Several thousand people rallied and marched in downtown here, July 15, to express outrage at the not guilty verdict given to George Zimmerman for his cold-blooded murder of African American youth Trayvon Martin.

Gainesville demands DOJ file civil rights charges against Zimmerman

Gainesville, FL – On July 15, at 4:00 p.m., 150 activists and community members gathered in Bo Diddley Plaza to demand that the U.S. Department of Justice file charges against George Zimmerman for violating the Civil Rights of Trayvon Martin.