Bay Area groups march in support of Trayvon Martin
Updated at 05:52 PM today
Hundreds of protesters are marching in San Francisco and Oakland in the wake of a not guilty verdict announced in the murder trial of George Zimmerman.
Activist groups announced they planned to march and gather at Powell and Market streets in San Francisco at 4 p.m., and at two locations in Oakland.
The first Oakland event started at the corner of 73rd Street and International Boulevard at 3 p.m., and a second followed at 14th Street and Broadway at 4 p.m.
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Similar protests took place Saturday night in both cities, after a Florida jury found Zimmerman not guilty of second-degree murder and manslaughter in the shooting death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin.
Oakland police said no arrests were made after protests turned destructive on Saturday, a spokeswoman said.
Police spokesperson Johnna Watson says around 70 to 100 protesters marched from Frank Ogawa Plaza through the downtown area, vandalizing multiple buildings and businesses by spray painting anti-police slogans, lighting garbage cans on fire and smashing several windows.
SKY7 HD was overhead as angry demonstrators lit a flag on fire.
Officers in riot helmets that included BART police, the California Highway Patrol and the Alameda County Sheriff's Office responded to the protests.
In San Francisco, a protest march that started at 24th and Mission Streets remained peaceful, police said.
The Oakland demonstration followed a raucous but largely peaceful rally in San Francisco. Police say officers escorted demonstrators as they marched on the city's Mission District. The group was dispersed by 10 p.m.
The verdict also sparked protests in Los Angeles, where demonstrators gathered in Leimert Park, the city's historically black neighborhood. Police were put on tactical alert, but there were no reports of arrests.
Police spokesman Lt. Andrew Neiman said a group of about 100 people surrounded an officer securing an on-ramp to Interstate 10 on Saturday night. The officer, fearing for his safety, asked for help. After more officers arrived, two people threw bottles and police responded with several beanbag rounds, Neiman said. The group dispersed and there were no reports of any injuries.
More than 40 people gathered at Sacramento City Hall, and the Sacramento Bee reported that protesters chanted: "What do we want? Justice. When do you we want it? Now. For who? Trayvon."
A banner behind speakers read, "No justice, no peace!"
Oakland buildings damaged in Zimmerman protest
Businesses across downtown Oakland were busy cleaning up after a demonstration late Saturday night turned to destruction.
All remnants of a violent protest Saturday night, when 100 people gathered after the verdict was read, marched through downtown Oakland and left destruction in their wake.
At Flora, on the corner of 19th and Telegraph, employees and patrons had to duck for cover under tables as the restaurant's windows shattered around them.
"It was really scary for everyone," witness Jessica Moncada said. "But the attitude, even with our staff, is that everyone understands why people are so angry. So there's not a lot of animosity I guess towards the people, but one of our girls was pushed up against a wall, and so that's not okay."
Down the block, Sears has been a target during past demonstrations. On Saturday night, the business sustained the worst damage yet. Witnesses say the protesters used weights to smash nearly 30 windows and doors.
"I'm going to say pretty close to $50,000, around there," said Manny Minjarez with San Lorenzo Glass. He says that's the approximate cost to replace the windows that they'd already replaced before.
Despite all the damage, there were no arrests and no injuries.
Mayor Jean Quan released a statement Sunday, condemning the protesters who took part in the vandalism. It reads, in part, "Sadly, some of them dishonored the memory of Trayvon by engaging in violent activities... This is unacceptable as well. We will not tolerate violence in our city."
People in the neighborhood hope all these boarded up windows will deter anyone from causing more damage, as protests and rallies continue.
(Bay City News and the Associated Press contributed to this report)
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