Chicagoans took to the streets and church pews over the weekend to express their outrage and sadness over the death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin.
From a rainy Friday evening protest to a packed Saturday afternoon rally, residents from the city and suburbs came together wearing hoodies, carrying Skittles and demanding that the man who shot the unarmed black teenager in Florida be brought to justice.
Outspoken anti-violence activist and Rev. Michael Pfleger organized a Sunday vigil for Martin, and set up a statue at St. Sabina Church on the city's South Side in his honor. Pfleger also slammed "racist" laws such as Florida's "Stand Your Ground" law, and called on residents to do more to fight violence in their own communities.
The Chicago Tribune has more on Pfleger's fiery Sunday sermon:
"America, we demand you deal with race," Pfleger preached. "We demand you protect our children."
During the service, dozens of children and teens locked arms, forming a circle around the altar. One held a sign reading, "We are all Trayvon Martin."
"Let this be a moment of conscience, let this be a moment of enlightenment, let this be a moment of truth, America," Pfleger said. "Be who you say you say you are. Be outraged when any child dies; that's our child."
Martin was gunned down on Feb. 26 while returning to a gated community in Florida after buying candy nearby. The neighborhood watch captain, George Zimmerman, allegedly followed the teen before shooting him, claiming he was "suspicious." Some have gone as far as to say the teen was targeted because he was wearing a hooded sweatshirt.
Zimmerman has not been charged in the slaying, which has outraged Martin's family, civil rights activists and those following the case.
Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. has also called for an end to "Stand Your Ground" laws, which allow citizens to shoot others if they feel threatened by that person. In Zimmerman's case, he called 911 and was told by the operator to stop following Martin. Instead, he allegedly continued trailing the teen and that is when the shooting occurred. Martin was unarmed.
“There is no question in my mind . . . that would have not happened if Trayvon was a white kid, walking down the street with some Skittles and an iced tea,” Pfleger said while wearing a white hood, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
“Enough children have died … Break the code of silence. Come out on your street corner. Get rid of these laws that are covering the murders and deal with racism in America.”
Watch a portion of Pfleger's sermon above, courtesy of WGN.
Check out photos of this weekend's Trayvon Martin marches in Chicago here:
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