City Council Members Wear Hoodies In Support Trayvon Martin's Family
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Members of the New York City Council wore hoodies in support of the family of Trayvon Martin and in condemnation of the Florida teenager's killing.
A number of council members gathered on the steps of City Hall Wednesday, with hoods up.
They also were carrying bags of Skittles and cans of iced tea, as the unarmed 17-year-old was when he was allegedly shot by a neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman.
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Speaker Christine Quinn charged that the teenager was killed simply because he looked like he was up to no good. She was also upset that Zimmerman is still a free man.
"What George Zimmerman did was wrong, was a crime and he needs to be held accountable. And anybody in the authority or the Florida government who has allowed him to walk free with a gun...needs to be held accountable as well," Quinn said.
The council members are set to vote on a resolution condemning Martin's killing and what they're calling an inadequate investigation.
Melissa Mark-Viverito called the killing of Martin "An unspeakable tragedy."
"This was a crime motivated by ignorance, by prejudice, that led to a death that should not have happened. Trayvon's only crime was being black and wearing a hoodie in a gated community," she said. "It is crucial that the Council adds its voice to the growing national movement calling for justice for Trayvon Martin and his family."
Councilwoman Letitia James says while the hoodie is a simple article of clothing, it "has become a powerful symbol of protest."
On Wednesday, Illinois Democrat Bobby Rush was reprimanded for wearing a hoodie in protest on the floor of the House of Representatives.
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