NAACP Urges Stiffer Gang, Drug Laws
Tougher state legislation to combat the gang and drug problems in Los Angeles was called for Thursday by the National Assn. for the Advancement of Colored People.
At a press conference in front of a Southwest Los Angeles home where five teen-agers were killed last fall in gang violence, leaders of the civil rights group announced that they will recommend to state legislators a series of changes in the law, including stiffer penalties for drug possession, carrying concealed weapons and intimidating witnesses.
The NAACP will also sponsor a “Just Say No” anti-drug march in downtown Los Angeles on April 26. Aimed at encouraging children to stay away from drugs and gang activity, the march will include 500 elementary school students, said Raymond L. Johnson, president of the local NAACP chapter. Similar marches will be held in Oakland, Atlanta, Chicago and Washington.
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