Trayvon Martin Supporters Make Threats Ahead of Verdict in Zimmerman Trial

Supporters of Trayvon Martin have taken to Twitter to warn people about what will happen if Zimmerman is found not guilty.

UPI
July 10, 2012

George Zimmerman in the courtroom on day 22 of his trial in Seminole circuit court. Zimmerman has received threats on Twitter preceding the verdict.
George Zimmerman in the courtroom on day 22 of his trial in Seminole circuit court. Zimmerman has received threats on Twitter preceding the verdict.

Here’s another reason no one laughed at Don West’s knock-knock joke: Most of the Twitterverse could not have been on the jury for the George Zimmerman trial.

As the ongoing murder trial of George Zimmerman continues, several supporters of the late Trayvon Martin have pushed out threats as to what will happen if Zimmerman is found not guilty.

Florida police are working to anticipate the public’s reaction either way, and have already sent a message to those following the trial: Raise your voice, not your hands. The outcome of the racially tinged case, police say, is likely to disappoint one group of people or the other. Law enforcement agencies in the area have now set up a response plan including a public service announcement issued this week.

The threats, posted on Twitter, are often deadly acts of violence toward Zimmerman himself or toward white/hispanic strangers, despite Twitter policy: “Violence and Threats: You may not publish or post direct, specific threats of violence against others.” Warning: Some coarse language to follow.