A group of demonstrators gathered downtown Sunday afternoon to protest neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman's acquittal in the death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin.

The rally was one of several being planned in the metro Atlanta region, and it was expected to travel from the Five Points MARTA station to the CNN Center. Another rally had been planned for Sunday evening in the city's West End neighborhood as additional rallies began taking shape across the country.

Protesters also took to the streets of downtown Atlanta in early Sunday morning hours after a judge in Sanford, Fla. announced that 29-year-old Zimmerman was cleared of all charges in the shooting.

Zimmerman has maintained that Martin attacked him and the shooting was an act of self-defense.

Tags: Atlanta, not guilty, protests, Trayvon Martin, stand your ground law, George Zimmerman, acquittal