'We are Trayvon Martin: Stand your ground against racism'

MARCHING FOR JUSTICE: Demonstrators in the US support Trayvon Martin cause.

TIME TO find these retired marching boots from the bottom of your wardrobe.

We are marching again and just like in times of old we are marching for justice, equality and fairness.

Black parents in white societies perennially worry about our young men and young boys in particular. Too many of us have looked into graves filled with the tears of parents.

As black children grow up into beautiful, strong radiant young people, we are forced to face that sickening anxiety we know so well.

As a black father there comes a time when you have to have “that talk” with your boys and educate them into being able to recognise and cope with being discriminated against in all walks of life.

We tell them to listen good because of their lives and those of their friends may depend on it. That’s the import of such discussions and every black family knows exactly what I’m talking about.

The most recent assault on our common humanity comes in the form of the sickening murder of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in Florida last year and the scandalous acquittal of the man who killed him, George Zimmerman.

Part of Zimmerman’s defence was that Trayvon in a hoodie looked like a threat. He used the controversial Stand Your Ground law of self-defence legislation enacted in Florida.

Trayvon’s case has received international attention much like that of our own Stephen Lawrence and has resonated right across the entire world. The Bronx or Brixton makes no difference, we know racism when we see it.

Protests in support of Trayvon’s family have gone global and here in the UK London, we are set to hold a demo on beginning at the US Embassy Governor Square London on Saturday, July 27 at 2pm adding more international pressure on the US to charge Zimmerman under civil rights legislation.

We call upon people to stand your ground against racism and injustice.

We then intend to march to No 10 Downing Street in support of Doreen and Neville Lawrence’s demand for a full judicial public inquiry into the allegation that the Met Police sought to smear the family and supporters.

We add to that a call for public inquiry into the recent spike in black deaths in police custody and the recent unlawful killing verdicts in British courts for both Azelle Rodney and Jimmy Mubenga.

We all know the cases of Mark Duggan, Kingsley Burrell, Smiley Culture and many others.

We want 5,000 people outside the US Embassy and No 10 in hoodies in solidarity with Trayvon.

Using social media in the short time we have is going to be critical to our success. We need your active support across all social media if we are to make the necessary impact.

It is time we stood our ground against racism and injustice. Together we can make a difference.

Please join us to secure a better future for all our children.

Lee Jasper