Hundreds rally in Los Angeles against teen's murder

Hundreds of American people descended on the steps of Los Angeles City Hall on Monday evening to denounce the slaying last month of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin and demand that an arrest be made in the highly charged Florida case. The rally came the same day that hundreds of people joined leading civil rights advocates in Sanford, Fla., to criticize authorities for failing to arrest Martin's shooter, George Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch captain. At L.A.'s City Hall, protesters said the failure of authorities to arrest Zimmerman is an example of a criminal justice system that has failed repeatedly to protect the rights of African Americans and Latinos. "I'm here because I want to fight racism," said Alejandra Cruz, 27, an attorney who lives in East Los Angeles. She and the others marched from Pershing Square through downtown in a peaceful protest of the killing that has captured nationwide attention.

"Hundreds of American people descended on the steps of Los Angeles City Hall on Monday evening to denounce the slaying last month of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin and demand that an arrest be made in the highly charged Florida case"South Los Angeles resident Pam Brown, 54, took part in the procession with her daughter and two grandchildren, one of whom held a sign that said "Fight for Justice." "What happened wasn't right," Brown said. Iña Martinez, 51, who traveled nearly 30 miles from Glendora to attend the event, said Martin's slaying was all about racism and injustice. "I want to see justice," she said. (From L.A Times)