Trayvon Martin’s parents speak at Capitol Hill briefing
Sybrina Fulton (2nd R) and Tracy Martin (R), parents of slain teenager Trayvon Martin, attend a rally with family attorney Benjamin Crump (L) after a town hall meeting March 26, 2012.
The parents of slain Florida teenager Trayvon Martin spoke Tuesday afternoon at a Capitol Hill briefing on hate crimes and racial profiling organized by House Democrats.
"I'd like to say thank you for the support," said Sybrina Fulton, the 17-year-old's mother, according to Fox News. "Trayvon was our son. Trayvon was your son."
Fulton and Martin's father, Tracy Martin, arrived shortly after the briefing began at 3 p.m. and received a small round of applause, Fox News reported.
More from GlobalPost: George Zimmerman fights back, accuses Martin of striking first
Rep. John Conyers, D-Michigan, also called for a moment of silence for Martin, 17, who was fatally shot Feb. 26 by neighborhood watch captain Geroge Zimmerman in suburban Orlando, Fla., according to Fox News.
Zimmerman, who has not been arrested, claims it was self-defense, MSNBC reported.
More from GlobalPost: Florida man arrested over threats to Trayvon Martin police chief
The briefing, which isn't as formal as a congressional hearing, marks the first time Congress has been brought into the controversy, according to MSNBC.
Outside the Capitol, several hundred teens marched through the streets of Washington calling for justice in Martin's death, TV station WJLA reported.
More from GlobalPost: Rev. Al Sharpton speaks at Trayvon Martin rally
“It isn't a black thing. It's just a fact of he deserved justice,” protester Quintess Bond told WJLA. “He was killed over nonsense and we want Zimmerman to be locked up.”
View all of our Trayvon Martin coverage.
The story you just read is accessible and free to all because thousands of listeners and readers contribute to our nonprofit newsroom. We go deep to bring you the human-centered international reporting that you know you can trust. To do this work and to do it well, we rely on the support of our listeners. If you appreciated our coverage this year, if there was a story that made you pause or a song that moved you, would you consider making a gift to sustain our work through 2024 and beyond?