Trayvon Martin case: Los Angeles police warn troublemakers

Los Angeles police are preparing to turn out in force to deter any fresh disturbances following the acquittal of a Florida neighbourhood watchman who killed an unarmed black teenager. Police Chief Charlie Beck said criminal behaviour would not be tolerated. On Monday night, about 150 people broke away from a march, defacing property, assaulting people and stopping traffic. George Zimmerman, 29, was cleared on Saturday of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin's death in February 2012. "We cannot allow a small group of individuals to not only damage the community, strike fear in the community, but also distort the message of so many in this community," Chief Beck said on Tuesday.

Some 300 police officers responded to Monday's demonstrations, making 14 arrests. Aerial news footage showed troublemakers kicking and punching people. Stevie Wonder boycott On Tuesday, civil rights leader Rev Al Sharpton said he would lead a "Justice for Trayvon" day in 100 cities around the US, appealing for federal civil rights charges to be brought against Mr Zimmerman. "People all across the country will gather to show that we are not having a two- or three-day anger fit," Mr Sharpton said as he unveiled the plans. "This is a social movement for justice." At noon on Saturday, vigils are planned outside federal buildings in cities including Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia and New York. There will also be a civil rights conference next week, Mr Sharpton added, to address a controversial Florida law known as stand your ground, which permits the use of deadly force if a person feels seriously threatened. Mr Zimmerman's legal team did not cite stand your ground - instead they argued successfully at trial that the shooting was a simple case of self-defence. On Monday, the US Department of Justice said it would resume its investigation into whether Trayvon Martin's civil rights had been violated during the fatal confrontation. In order to file civil rights charges, they would have to show that Mr Zimmerman was motivated by racial animosity. Trayvon Martin's family has said the teenager was racially profiled, but no evidence of racial bias was presented during the trial. American soul singer Stevie Wonder reportedly said on Sunday that he would not perform in Florida, or any other jurisdiction with a stand your ground law. "Wherever I find that law exists, I will not perform in that state or in that part of the world," he told fans at a concert in Quebec City, Canada.