Rev. Al Sharpton (C) attends a rally with Sybrina Fulton...

Rev. Al Sharpton (C) attends a rally with Sybrina Fulton (R), mother of slain teenager Trayvon Martin, in Sanford, Florida. (March 22, 2012) Credit: Getty Images

Activists are planning "a wave of civil disobedience" to protest the shooting death of Trayvon Martin in Sanford, Fla., the Rev. Al Sharpton said Saturday.

The civil rights leader told supporters at his New York City headquarters that organizers would hold a series of nonviolent protests calling for the arrest of George Zimmerman, the crime watch volunteer who confronted the unarmed black teenager because he thought he looked "suspicious," and then shot him.

"It is important that we have sustained indignation," Sharpton said. "This is not where we are going to show that we are angry and go back home."

Sharpton called it a "paradox" that the country could elect a black man president, but still view young black men with suspicion simply because they don a hooded sweat shirt, like the one Martin was wearing when he was killed.

"It's time for us to stop and straighten this out once and for all," Sharpton said.

He said more information would be announced about the planned demonstrations in a few days.

Zimmerman told police he killed Martin, 17, in self-defense.

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