Protests are spreading across the country today following the sensational not-guilty verdict for George Zimmerman after he shot dead teenager Trayvon Martin.
Demonstrations, from Florida where the trial took place to Atlanta, DC and New York, remained largely peaceful last night- although pockets of violence had erupted in Oakland, California.
Crowds carried signs calling for justice as police assembled close by to monitor activity - fearful that strong reactions to the verdict could spill over into rioting amid racial tensions.
Zimmerman, a 29-year-old Hispanic, looked visibly relieved at the Seminole court on Saturday evening after the jury of six women reached their conclusion that he had justifiably killed the unarmed black 17-year-old last February.
Demonstrators also burned an American flag to show their displeasure with the jury verdict, which saw Zimmerman go free
Distress: A mother who was listening to the end of the Zimmerman trial with her children weeps at the jury's decision
Rally: Protesters in Los Angeles gather to show their response to the Zimmerman trial on Saturday night as demonstrations spread across the country
In Oakland, California, long a hotbed of racial tension, some protestors turned violent - vandalizing police cars, breaking windows and setting fire to garbage cans.
One photo from the protests in the city shows men dousing a flag in lighter fluid and setting it alight.
More demonstrations are planned today under the banner of 'Justice 4 Trayvon.' At least three separate protests are scheduled for New York City alone - one in lower Manhattan, one in Harlem an a third in Brooklyn.
The Oakland demonstration followed a raucous but largely peaceful rally in San Francisco.
Prayers: Tammy Haynes, left, Whitney Tillman, center, and Crystal Haynes wear Trayvon Martin hoodies and T-shirts during a sermon at the St Paul Missionary Baptist Church in Sanford on Sunday
Emotional reactionsL A woman holding a child reacts to the verdict outside Seminole County Court where George Zimmerman was found not guilty
Making a statement: Worshippers at the Middle Collegiate Church hold prayer services wearing hoodies in support of slain teenager Trayvon Martin in response to the acquittal of George Zimmerman in his trial in New York
Embrace: Members of the New York congregation hug each other on Sunday after the news that Zimmerman would walk free
Police said officers escorted demonstrators as they marched on the city's Mission District. The group was dispersed by 10pm.
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 any arrests.
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.'
Violence: A BART police vehicle is vandalized during a protest after George Zimmerman was found not guilty
Damage done: A window is smashed at the Sears store on Telegraph Avenue in Oakland, California following the verdict from the five-week trial
Challenging the system: Protesters hold an image of Trayvon Martin while marching in the Leimert Park area of Los Angeles, California
Trouble: A protester falls while others run as Los Angeles Police officers try to remove them from the intersection on Saturday
A banner behind speakers read: 'No justice, no peace!'
The verdict on the case that has bitterly divided the nation, after the jury took more than 16 hours and 20 minutes over two days to reach their conclusion.
They unanimously decided the neighborhood watch volunteer and would-be cop justifiably killed the unarmed teen because he believed his life was threatened on that February night in Florida last year.
As the judge announced that Zimmerman had no other business with the Seminole court just after 10pm on Saturday, his mother, who was sat in the court, beamed a smile for the first time during the trial and his emotional wife broke down in tears.
Victim: Zimmerman was accused of murdering the unarmed black teenager Trayvon Martin after following him with a gun last year
Relief: George Zimmerman breaks into a smile of relief a few moments after being cleared of all charges
Zimmerman jubilantly embraced both - realizing that after a year and a half of living as a hermit
and virtual recluse - he was now a free man.
Trayvon's parents, Tracy Martin and Sybrina Fulton, were not in court to hear the verdict. They later took to Twitter to acknowledge their deep disappointment at the verdict.
tweet from his father read: 'God blessed Me & Sybrina with Tray and even in his death I know my baby proud of the FIGHT we along with all of you put up for him GOD BLESS.'
As the long-awaited verdict drew near, police and city leaders in the Orlando suburb of Sanford and other parts of the U.S. nervously said they were taking precautions against the possibility of mass protests or unrest.
'There is no party in this case who wants to see any violence,' Seminole County Sheriff Don Eslinger said immediately after jurors began deliberating.
'We have an expectation upon this announcement that our community will continue to act peacefully.'
Angry crowds outside the courthouse spoke about their outrage at the verdict, yelling: 'The system has failed us', and tens of thousands took to Twitter to voice their discontent with the justice system and jury.
Protesters were expected to take to the streets again on Sunday after largely peaceful demonstrations.
Outrage: A man screams during a demonstration in downtown Manhattan after the news that George Zimmerman was found not guilty in
the 2012 shooting death of Martin
Workers board up windows at Flora restaurant in downtown Oakland, California early on Sunday following eruptions of violence
Public feeling: Crowds gather in Union Square, New York, to wait for the verdict in the trial
Shock: A Florida woman cries as she hears the not guilty verdict verdict outside the court house
On guard: Los Angeles police gather at the edge of a rally that began as Zimmerman was cleared of all charges
Rallies were planned in Los Angeles, Oakland, San Diego and San Francisco, a day after Zimmerman was cleared of all charges in the February 2012 death of Martin.
The gatherings on Saturday night ranged from a few dozen to a couple hundred people. In Oakland, protesters broke windows at the Oakland Tribune and started small fires in the streets.
Local media reports said some Oakland marchers vandalized a police squad car and police formed a line to block the protesters' path.
Footage from a television helicopter showed people spray painting anti-police graffiti. Protesters also burned an American and a California state flag and spray painted Alameda County's Davidson courthouse.
In New York, people came on to the streets around midnight to protest, waving candles and signs. One showed a picture of Emmett Till - a black teenager who was tortured and beaten to death by white men in Mississippi in 1955.
Churches also made note of the verdict on Sunday morning, with many leaders speaking about the case and urging peace in the aftermath.
Some congregants wore hooded sweatshirts, as Martin had when he died, or shirts with the teen's picture.
Relief: George Zimmerman's wife, Shellie, celebrates with family and friends following her husband's not guilty verdict
Emotional scenes: Zimmerman's family and legal team celebrate after the verdict was read out
Culled from DAILY MAIL
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