New York City councilmembers wore hoodies and carried Skittles and iced tea at City Hall Wednesday in tribute to Trayvon Martin, the Florida teenager shot dead walking home from a corner store.
Some of the lawmakers wore hoodies over their typical business attire, and others wore them alone.
Council Speaker Christine Quinn wore a red sweatshirt, pulling the hood over her head as she called Wednesday's council meeting to order.
"This simple article of clothing has been transformed to a powerful symbol of protest," said Councilwoman Letitia James. "Today I am Trayvon."
The unarmed 17-year-old Martin was shot dead Feb. 26 by a neighborhood watch volunteer who had called 911 to report a "suspicious" person in a hoodie.
Martin was found to have been carrying Skittles and iced tea.
There have been no arrests in the case, which has sparked a nationwide debate about how young black men are treated and perceived.
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"I'm hoping that the killer will be brought to justice," said Councilwoman Melissa Mark-Viverito. Hopefully, she said, "we can strive to overcome."
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