洛杉矶加入抗议齐默尔曼无罪

 　　LOS ANGELES, July 20 (Xinhua) -- Los Angeles on Saturday joined more than 100 other U.S. cities in protesting against the acquittal of George Zimmerman, who shot dead unarmed black teenager Trayvon Martin.

　　Hundreds of demonstrators gathered in front of the downtown U.S. Federal Court building for a nationwide vigil calling on the U.S. Justice Department to bring a civil rights case against Zimmerman.

　　Although demonstrators chanted "No justice, no peace," the vigil and demonstration¹ were generally peaceful, with heavy police presence and helicopters hovering² over the sky.

　　The signs held by the demonstrators showed their demand and anger.

　　"Racism³ is alive and well in America, Zimmerman is a cold blooded murder. Thanks to a racist⁴ jury, he walked free," the sign echoed the voice of many demonstrators.

　　"One child or one teenager is hurt, the whole nation is hurt," said another sign.

　　"You don't have a 2nd Amendment⁵ right to commit 2nd degree murder," a mother held her sign.

　　Some demonstrators criticized the U.S. Justice Department by holding signs such as "There will be no justice from the Department of Justice."

　　"I am here to support the black community and all workers in general for the treatment of Trayvon Martin who was murdered. But the issue is bigger than that. The system is set up so that happens," Michael Kakes told Xinhua.

　　"It was Martin today, but it could be anybody of colors. I am here to show solidarity⁶ to change the system because the system is killing⁷ people everyday," said Kakes, who was among hundreds of demonstrators.

　　Kakes is a white himself. He said the case is racially motivated, and the system is built on racism because without racism they can not divide the people, black and white, men and women."

　　"We want to show that together we can defeat that kind of staff. That's why I am here," said Kakes.

　　Shark Jacquescarr, an African American, said that he thought the prosecution⁸ made a mistake to have all six jurors white without any black person.

　　He said he was shocked when he learned that Zimmerman was not found guilty, but he though it was not the problem of racism but the problem of the justice system.

　　He said there is nepotism⁹ in the justice system because Zimmerman had relatives in the justice system and that should be stopped.

　　He suggested that the U.S. justice system should be supervised and committees formed by people from different ranks should watch closely the police and judges to see whether they are doing justice.

　　Dorsey Brickwood, an 87-year-old African American woman on her wheelchair, said that she was there because she had seen injustice¹⁰ for so many years and she had enough.

　　Asked what kind of changes she was expecting, the woman said: "I don't know how we can change, but I do know that we must change, and we have to come together to make the change because all those minorities suffer in their own ways under the system."

　　Other cities in Southern California like Riverside and San Bernardino held similar protests on Saturday.

　　"This type of thing goes on every day in America, as far as black kids being killed at the hands of someone of another race or black kids being killed at the hands of someone of their own race," Eddy¹¹ Moss¹², who is organizing the San Bernardino protest, was quoted as saying.

　　Moss said the verdict in the trial would have been different if Zimmerman had been black and Trayvon had been white.

　　Carolyn Huyck, organizer of the Riverside protest and vigil, said she had never organized a protest or even attended one.

　　Huyck, 34, like many others, said she believes that Zimmerman saw a young black male and racially profiled him as someone who was doing something wrong.

　　Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch volunteer of 28 years old in Florida, was charged with a second degree murder for shooting 17-year-old African-American high school student Martin to death in February last year.

　　A jury in Florida acquitted¹³ Zimmerman last Saturday which triggered heated debates over whether there is injustice against minority in the case.

　　Demonstrations¹⁴ were held during the past week in several U.S. cities, including Los Angeles, New York and Oakland.

1 demonstration   

n.表明，示范，论证，示威

参考例句：

• His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
• He gave a demonstration of the new technique then and there.他当场表演了这种新的操作方法。

2 hovering   

鸟( hover的现在分词 )； 靠近（某事物）； （人）徘徊； 犹豫

参考例句：

• The helicopter was hovering about 100 metres above the pad. 直升机在离发射台一百米的上空盘旋。
• I'm hovering between the concert and the play tonight. 我犹豫不决今晚是听音乐会还是看戏。

3 racism   

n.民族主义；种族歧视(意识)

参考例句：

• He said that racism is endemic in this country.他说种族主义在该国很普遍。
• Racism causes political instability and violence.种族主义道致政治动荡和暴力事件。

4 racist   

n.种族主义者，种族主义分子

参考例句：

• a series of racist attacks 一连串的种族袭击行为
• His speech presented racist ideas under the guise of nationalism. 他的讲话以民族主义为幌子宣扬种族主义思想。

5 amendment   

n.改正，修正，改善，修正案

参考例句：

• The amendment was rejected by 207 voters to 143.这项修正案以207票对143票被否决。
• The Opposition has tabled an amendment to the bill.反对党已经就该议案提交了一项修正条款。

6 solidarity   

n.团结；休戚相关

参考例句：

• They must preserve their solidarity.他们必须维护他们的团结。
• The solidarity among China's various nationalities is as firm as a rock.中国各族人民之间的团结坚如磐石。

7 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

8 prosecution   

n.起诉，告发，检举，执行，经营

参考例句：

• The Smiths brought a prosecution against the organizers.史密斯家对组织者们提出起诉。
• He attempts to rebut the assertion made by the prosecution witness.他试图反驳原告方证人所作的断言。

9 nepotism   

n.任人唯亲；裙带关系

参考例句：

• The congressman lashed the president for his nepotism.国会议员抨击总统搞裙带关系。
• Many will regard his appointment as the kind of nepotism British banking ought to avoid.很多人会把他的任命看作是英国银行业应该避免的一种裙带关系。

10 injustice   

n.非正义，不公正，不公平，侵犯（别人的）权利

参考例句：

• They complained of injustice in the way they had been treated.他们抱怨受到不公平的对待。
• All his life he has been struggling against injustice.他一生都在与不公正现象作斗争。

11 eddy   

n.漩涡，涡流

参考例句：

• The motor car disappeared in eddy of dust.汽车在一片扬尘的涡流中不见了。
• In Taylor's picture,the eddy is the basic element of turbulence.在泰勒的描述里，旋涡是湍流的基本要素。

12 moss   

n.苔，藓，地衣

参考例句：

• Moss grows on a rock.苔藓生在石头上。
• He was found asleep on a pillow of leaves and moss.有人看见他枕着树叶和苔藓睡着了。

13 acquitted   

宣判…无罪( acquit的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（自己）作出某种表现

参考例句：

• The jury acquitted him of murder. 陪审团裁决他谋杀罪不成立。
• Five months ago she was acquitted on a shoplifting charge. 五个月前她被宣判未犯入店行窃罪。

14 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。