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Inner-city group plans march, says Christ is answer to gang violence

Thousands of protesters are marching in Los Angeles this weekend to bring hope to gang bangers and drug addicts.

The protesters hope the march, scheduled for Saturday (August 4), will remind Americans there is still much work to be done in shrinking gang violence and drug abuse on the streets. Victory Outreach International (VOI), a 40-year old anti-gang, anti-drug Christian organization, is joining with clergy, city mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, and other elected officials for the event.

VOI spokesman Phil LaCrue says the march, called "Stop the Violence," takes place as the culmination of a weeklong series of meetings in honor of the 40th anniversary of the organization's efforts. He says a lot has been accomplished, but that there is still plenty to be done -- especially since there still seems to be violence that is plaguing L.A. and most other major cities in the country.

"It seems to escalate, the last few months, just one report after another," says LaCrue. "So we decided to put on this march, [to] sponsor this march, and to make a positive statement, that there is hope -- that there's a solution to the violence."

One of those solutions, LaCrue says, is Christ. Several former gang members and drug addicts will testify to the importance of that component when they speak at the steps of city hall, following the three-mile march of an expected 10,000 VOI members from the Los Angeles Convention Center, beginning at 9 a.m.