Updated June 17, 2012, 5:50 p.m. ET — By the time the marchers reached Mayor Michael Bloomberg's mansion on 79th Street, they appeared to number in the thousands, joined by the families of Trayvon Martin and Ramarley Graham. After a peaceful demonstration, the crowd began to disperse. No response by Mayor Bloomberg was evident, and the New York Civil Liberties Union's executive director, Donna Lieberman, told The Root they hadn't yet received a response from him.
Updated June 17, 2012, 5:30 p.m. ET — Benjamin Crump, the lawyer for the family of slain teen Trayvon Martin, told The Root, "We feel this [demonstration] is not only for New York, but for all across America. We strongly feel that Trayvon Martin's dead today because he was profiled." Speaking about the diversity of people participating in the march, Crump said, "It was a powerful message. It's about little black and brown boys, and these are our children."
Said activist and comedian Dick Gregory, "This is what the march is about: Turning the light on filth."
Updated June 17, 2012, 4:40 p.m. ET — Hundreds of demonstrators came out to join the march toward Mayor Bloomberg's mansion. It was a silent march for the most part, but some could be heard chanting, "Silence equals death! I will not be silent!"
Joining the civil rights activists who organized the march were ordinary citizens, like Carolyn W., a Bronx resident who said she was marching today because her 28-year-old son Darnell lost his job after being stopped and frisked at a Brooklyn festival, and subsequently arrested and detained overnight by police. "Something has got to change. People need to be held accountable," she told The Root. "If the crime level is at its lowest in years, then people need to be not treated as criminals."
Earlier:
(The Root) — Father's Day is upon us, and in New York City, dads from across the boroughs are joining together to protest the police department's stop-and-frisk policy, which overwhelmingly targets African Americans and Latinos. Led by Al Sharpton, NAACP's Benjamin Todd Jealous and NYCLU Executive Director Donna Lieberman, plus Tracy Martin, Trayvon Martin's father, the silent protest march will begin at 3 p.m. Organizers are asking participants to meet at West 110th Street between Central Park West/8th Avenue and Fifth Ave. From 110th Street and Fifth Avenue, marchers will travel south to 78th Street, toward Mayor Michael Bloomberg's mansion located on 79th Street.
The Root will be live-tweeting the event with details and photos from the protest as well as providing updates during the march. Check back on The Root this afternoon and tonight for updates and a wrap-up of moments from the silent march to end stop and frisk.
For more information, go to the following website: silentmarchnyc.org/
With reporting by Brett Johnson, Jade Earle and Hillary Crosley