Thread: Latino leaders urged to speak out against racial violence

Latino leaders urged to speak out against racial violence
Activists and mothers of slain children push officials to do more amid charges that a gang waged a race war against blacks.
By Sam Quinones
Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

12:27 PM PDT, October 19, 2007

Community activists today joined mothers of children killed by gangs in urging Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and other Latino leaders to take a stronger stance against racial gang violence.

"Their silence has been deafening on this issue," said Najee Ali, the director of Project Islamic Hope who has publicized the gang hate crimes between Latinos and blacks. He urged Villaraigosa and others to organize a citywide summit to discuss ways to end the violence.

"The African American and Latino community have many ties that should help us work together," he said.

The mayor could not be reached for comment.

Earlier this week, the U.S. Attorney's office announced a sweeping indictment of Florencia 13, accusing the Latino gang of waging a "cleansing" campaign to rid the Florence-Firestone neighborhood of African American rivals. Florencia 13 and the East Coast Crips, a black street gang, have been fighting for years over control of the area's drug trade.

Prosecutors allege that Florencia's actions stem from a 2004 order issued by a member of the Mexican Mafia prison gang housed at Pelican Bay State Prison.

In 2005, there were 41 homicides in the working-class community of 60,000 north of Watts, authorities said. About half of the victims had no gang affiliation.

Last year, homicides dropped to 19, but the level of violence remains high.

"If it's starting in the gangs, and the prisons have something to do with the racial war going on within the gangs, something needs to be done," said Luisa Prudhomme, whose son, Anthony, was murdered by a Latino gang member in Highland Park in 2000.

www.latimes.com

Good luck with getting them to do anything in LA with the gangs!!


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