Contact: Joe Ortiz, 909-653-4295

LOS ANGELES, July 24 /Christian Newswire/ -- In an effort to halt the increase in violence and drug abuse by inner-city youth, former gang members and ex-addicts from throughout the nation will be staging a protest march against violence in downtown Los Angeles on Saturday, August 4, 2007.

Spearheaded by Victory Outreach International, a forty-year old anti-gang, anti-drug Christian organization, some ten-thousand of its members and others will begin the three-mile march beginning at 9:00 a.m. from the Los Angeles Convention Center to the steps of Los Angeles City Hall. The march will end at the city hall's South Lawn where a massive rally will begin at 11:30 a.m., featuring speeches by former gang members, clergy and various elected officials.

"Our goal is to let America know that we plan to take back our streets and bring drug abuse and gang violence to a screeching halt," said Philip LaCrue, spokesperson for Victory Outreach International.

LaCrue said that most Americans are primarily (and rightly) concerned about the Iraq war and illegal immigration, but they have lost focus on the drug abuse and gang violence that plagues inner-cities throughout the nation. LaCrue said that many local and state elected officials have been be invited to participate at the rally, including Los Angeles Police Chief William Bratton, Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca and Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

Representatives of Victory Outreach International are available for pre-event interviews in both Spanish and English. Please contact Philip LaCrue at (909) 599-4437 x 112