Trayvon Martin’s Death Sparks Violence
Trayvon Martin’s parents have promoted peace in the aftermath of their son’s death, but some have used the tragic set of events as another reason to incite violence.
In Mobile, Alabama, a group of Black youth allegedly beat a white man who asked them to stop playing basketball in front of his house. The reason? Possibly Trayvon Martin, witnesses say.
Up to 15 young people reportedly beat Mathew Owens on Saturday. When the group left, Owens' sister indicated one of the attackers said, “That’s justice for Trayvon Martin.”
Reports indicate there was a high degree of racial tension simmering prior to Saturday night, which left Owens in critical condition at a local hospital.
“This type of mob violence will not be tolerated,” said Sam Jones, the mayor of the city of Mobile. “If people think we are going to tolerate that to bring attention to some national event, they are sorely mistaken. They will be arrested and prosecuted for assault or whatever the appropriate charge may be.”
This wasn’t the only alleged Trayvon-motivated crime. An African-American man charged with a hate crime in Oak Park, Chicago, told police he was so upset about the Trayvon Martin case that he beat up a man because he was white. And 18-year-old Alton Hayes III and a 15-year-old Chicagoan – both Black − reportedly walked up to a 19-year-old white victim, pinned his arms to his side, rifled through his pockets, threw him to the ground and repeatedly punched him in the head.
After Hayes was arrested, he told police he was upset by the Trayvon Martin case in Florida.
On numerous occasions, Trayvon’ s mother has said peace and nonviolence are ways to find justice for her family.
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(Photo: Courtesy wkrg.com/NY Daily News)