After the Verdict in the Trayvon Martin Case
New York: 5,000 Hit the Streets of Manhattan
July 15, 2013 | Revolution Newspaper | revcom.us
July 14—5,000 people hit the streets of Manhattan in a wild and winding march demanding Justice for Trayvon Martin. Despite sweltering heat and humidity, thousands were determined to express their outrage at this cold-blooded modern-day lynching and not be deterred by the police. People poured into the streets, taking over the entire width, marching south out of Union Square, changing directions several times, before heading north and west to Times Square. Hundreds if not more came into the streets to join the march as it passed. At times the march went against the traffic, people walking between the cars as drivers honked in support. People chanted, "We are all Trayvon Martin" and "No Justice, No Peace." Started by revolutionaries, hundreds took up the chant "The whole system is guilty" on their own. As the march went through the crowded streets of Manhattan into Times Square, many of the onlookers cheered in agreement.
Union Square, New York City, July 14, 2013: more than 5,000 people protested in response to the verdict. Photo: Special to Revolution
The marchers were an incredibly diverse array of people—young and older, from the 'hood, including hard-edged youth, along with people of all nationalities. For many, this was their first political action. There seemed to be a pleasant surprise among many Black people that many white people had come out to demonstrate.
Protesters filled the streets of Times Square with thousands of tourists taking pictures and video recording the march. A rally was held in the middle of Times Square with people climbing on top of five-foot-high garbage containers with a bullhorn. Twice revolutionaries addressed the crowd, calling on people to resist this open season on Black and Latino youth…pointing to the reality that stopping outrages like the murder of Trayvon Martin, the slow genocide against Black people, and all the system's crimes once and for all requires revolution, nothing less…and calling on people to get into Bob Avakian. At one point, several hundred people continued the march, heading for Harlem.
Earlier, beginning at 1 pm, an array of groups held rallies in Union Square. The first was kicked off by the Stop Mass Incarceration Network (SMIN) with about 100 people. People from the Stop Mass Incarceration Network, numerous people who expressed outrage, and others spoke. The statement from Carl Dix of the RCP, "Zimmerman Walks Free—How Long Will This System Continue to Get Away With Murder?" was read. Soon, the crowds in the park began to grow, with several rallies going on at one point. Throughout the day, we distributed at least 750 "We Are All Trayvon—The Whole Damn System Is Guilty" stickers, enough that people wearing them were a very noticeable presence. In addition, we got out about 2,000 flyers from SMIN and about 1,700 copies of Carl Dix's statement. We had a life-size cutout of Trayvon Martin that had the words "We are all Trayvon Martin." Throughout the day, many, many people were drawn to it and took pictures. It was carried in the march, both by members of SMIN and people in the march who wanted to carry it.
At 5 pm SMIN held another rally with about 150 people, MCed by two revolutionaries. Numerous people spoke. A call was put out to march, and people excitedly responded "yes!" An hour later, #HoodiesUp held a rally of over 500 with a number of organizations participating. As the rally proceeded, Union Square began to fill. The SMIN rally took off marching around and through Union Square. Travis Morales from SMIN was asked to speak to the #HoodiesUp rally. He made four basic points: The trial did not prove the guilt or innocence of George Zimmerman but rather proves that the whole damn system is guilty. It's not just one youth, as bad as that is—they have declared Open Season on all Black youth, they have put a target on the backs of all Black youth, and we say No More. Some people says it's time to be calm—we say, goddamit it's not time to be calm. This has gone on for 400 years and it's going to take revolution, nothing less, to end it—it's time to fight the power, and transform the people, for revolution. Get into BA, get into the real revolution, because we don't just want to fight but we want to end all these horrors. Morales asked if the people were ready to march. People began chanting, "March! March!" And into the streets they went.
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