George Zimmerman, the man acquitted in the killing of Trayvon Martin, called members of the Black Lives Matter movement “terrorist cowards” in a Florida courtroom Wednesday.
Zimmerman, 32, testified in a Seminole County courthouse for the second day in the trial of Matthew Apperson, who is accused of trying to kill Zimmerman in a shooting last year.
The defence attorney for Apperson, who maintains he fired in self defence, grilled Zimmerman with references to Trayvon’s controversial death.
READ MORE: George Zimmerman reportedly punched in the face for bragging about Trayvon Martin shooting
The former Neighbourhood Watch volunteer shot Trayvon, a black 17-year-old, who was carrying, among other things, a bag of Skittles in his pocket when he died. A jury in 2013 acquitted Zimmerman in Trayvon’s murder, which led to protests across the country, sparking the Black Lives Matter movement.
Apperson’s attorney, Michael LaFay asked Zimmerman if he associated Apperson with the Black Lives Matter movement.
“First of all, they are terrorists. It’s not a movement as you have said now,” Zimmerman said. “I don’t believe Black Lives Matter is a movement, they are terrorist cowards.”
“Terrorists,” he repeated. “Again they are not a movement as much as you try to give them credence.”
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Om May 11, 2015, Zimmerman says he was driving in Florida when he noticed he was being pursued by a vehicle whose driver, later identified as Matthew Apperson, pulled up, exchanged words and fired one gunshot.
Apperson has admitted to firing a single bullet through the window of Zimmerman’s truck, but argues he acted in self defence after Zimmerman threatened him.
“You didn’t shoot at Apperson because he had a pistol and not a bag of Skittles?” LaFay asked, referencing the Martin shooting.
The May 2015 incident was not the first encounter between the two. Apperson alleged in September 2014 that Zimmerman threatened him in a road-rage encounter, but did not press charges at the time.
Apperson’s attorney has said that Zimmerman was the aggressor and brandished a gun in both incidents, but prosecutor Stewart Stone said there was no way Apperson could have seen a gun through the tinted windows of Zimmerman’s vehicle.
*With files from the Associated Press
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