Not Guilty: Zimmerman Trial Reaction on the Ground

In the three hours before the verdict was read, the Justice For Trayvon crowd became louder and more agitated.

Chants included standbys like “Whose streets? Our streets!” and “The people united will never be defeated!” as well as slogans specific to the case, including ‘Murder not Manslaughter!” and “He didn’t go to Target, Trayvon was the target!”

At 9:55 PM, the crowd became quiet. People close to the courthouse listened to news on cell phones and talked to friends who were watching the news. 

When the first word of the verdict came in, the crowd was visibly stunned. People dropped their heads in shock and disgust. Several women near the front of the crowd began to cry and hug each other. A small child who had been referring to Zimmerman as “the bad man” to his mother throughout the day was confused and upset.

Then the anger began. The coalition of Justice For Trayvon activists that had gathered on the wall of a fountain in front of the courthouse began chants of “Nationwide Protests!” and “The system has failed us!” as the media swarmed. A flurry of videographers and reporters pressed into the crowd to interview protestors.

The media here in Sanford have had their cars pelted with bricks.