BEIJING, July 15 (Xinhuanet) -- The acquittal of George Zimmerman has sparked protests around the . Protests began in Sanford, Florida and soon spread around the country.

Hundreds of people walked through the streets of the capital Washington DC on Sunday. In San Francisco, protesters marched holding signs and raising their fists in the air. Police vehicles followed them on the sidelines of the march.

In Oakland, California, hundreds of people marched past midnight against the not-guilty verdict, lighting fires in the streets. There have also been reports of incidents of vandalism in the downtown area.

The US organization working to eliminate race-based discrimination, the NAACP, has spoken to the US Justice Department about pursuing civil rights charges against Zimmerman.

(Source: CNTV.cn)