The Chinatown branch of the L.A. public library (like lots) has free wi-fi. I'm here working on stuff. The lobby has a cool little display of artifacts found during construction of the branch from as far back as the late 19th Century: bottles, buckles, marbles, teaspoons, ink wells. Lots of old folks and little schoolkids from the neighborhood hanging out and reading. I was in Harbor Gateway earlier today to gauge the scene and mood in the ongoing racial gang violence drama happening there, and it was rammed with reporters as Najee Ali led the signing of a "peace treaty" for blacks and Latinos, topped with the images of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Cesar Chavez. Members of the 204th Street gang were noticeably absent. The mayor, Chief Bratton, Sheriff Baca, and people from the FBI and ATF showed up later to announce a crackdown on the gang. Much more, coming soon. Meantime, this was sent out today from the mayor's office, background on 204th Street:
The 204th Street gang is a predominately Latino criminal street gang. The roots of this gang are deeply entrenched in the Harbor-Gateway area with some member’s families having resided there for several generations.
Currently, 204th Street claims 120 documented members. Its turf consists of the area bordered by Del Amo Boulevard to the north, Torrance Boulevard to the south, Denker Avenue to the east and Western Avenue to the west. This area is less than two square miles.
204th Street has a long and violent history. This is especially true regarding crimes committed against African Americans.
Historically, the area has had racial tensions dating back to the mid- to late 1990s when African Americans were moved out of a local housing development, which was demolished for a new redevelopment project. Many of these displaced residents moved to the Harbor-Gateway Area, which was comprised predominantly of Latino residents.
The violence escalated and in 1997, a male, African American youth was killed in the area. Since this tragic incident, there have been three additional racially motivated homicides in the area, including the Cheryl Green homicide.