Million Hoodie Marches: Justice for Trayvon Martin!
From DC to LA, hundreds take to the streets against racism
Washington, D.C.
Photo: Ben Becker
In response to a call made by students at Howard University and Howard University School of Law, hundreds of people took to the streets of Washington, D.C., on April 7 in a "Million Hoodie March" to demand justice for Trayvon Martin.
Participating organizations included Students Against Mass Incarceration (SAMI) and Political Education and Action Committee (PEACE) from Howard, NAACP, National Black United Front, Party for Socialism and Liberation, Jobs Not Jails Coalition and the ANSWER Coalition. Eugene Puryear, an organizer with ANSWER in D.C., was a speaker and co-chair at the rallies that took place on both ends of the event.
The group gathered in Malcolm X Park and then marched down 14th St. to Freedom Plaza chanting "Trayvon Martin, Emmett Till, how many more will you kill?" Onlookers and passing cars expressed their support by joining in chants and honking throughout the two-mile-long march.
In Los Angeles, ANSWER LA worked with residents of Watts and South Central to organize a community rally to demand justice for Trayvon Martin in Magic Johnson Park. More than 100 people gathered for the protest and speakout against racist injustice.
Speakers underscored the need to keep organizing in the Black community against racism and oppression. Pastor Rev. Logan from RUACH urged the crowed to “Organize, organize, organize then mobilize, mobilize, mobilize,” for justice for Trayvon and all victims of police violence.
Other speakers included Najee Ali from Project Islamic Hope, Paulette Gipson from the NAACP Compton and Delia Davenport, an eight-year-old resident of the community whose father was killed by the police in a case of racist “mistaken identity”. ANSWER LA organizer and Party for Socialism and Liberation Presidential Candidate Peta Lindsay chaired the rally.
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