On the 23 August 19-year-old Liam Smith was shot at close range in the face with a sawn off shotgun outside Altcourse Prison in Liverpool.Smith was alledged to be one of the leaders of the so called Strand gang.Media reports have grown considerably in the past 18 month or so about the Crocky gang and the Strand gang.
Crocky is the L11 district of Liverpool known as Croxteth.It gained notoriety in the 1980's as smack city.And this is now were one faction hails from.The strand is a district also of L11 but Norris Green.And this is were the the second gang hold turf.The strand it's self is just a couple of rows of shops each side of a street called Scargreen Avenue.Norris Green is just an estate of terraced houses consisting of working and middle class people mostly owning their own homes.It has no nightclubs nor anything else of intrest to organised crime.So the question is why are there two gangs intent on killing each other?
The history of it goes back to school days.Both L11,Norris Green,and L11 Croxteth shared the same senior schools.A further instance of example is the two schools in Kirkby,a short distance from Croxteth.One St Kevins.And the other Roughwood.St Kevins, a catholic comprhensive with a school population of 1800 often fought pitched battles with its neighbor Roughwood.To the point were one school had to go,that school turned out to be St Kevins.This territorilism that children feel it essential to defend is the crux of the matter.And by the use of drugs its something they have not grown out of now they are young adults.Bearing in mind Liverpool has a culture of respect,that one time would have been sorted with a "square go"But a square go was often on unequal terms.The big well muscled lad could easily defeat the slim light weight.Guns leveled the field.Combined with the power feeling and drugs a dangerous cocktail has ensued.With the self confidence of cocain and crack.And the courage of ignorence and inexperience youngsters from 14 to 19 are killing each other.
Tonight The Strand has a bunch of flowers on every lampost on each side of the Avenue in consolation for Liam.I wonder if Mrs Smith is feeling consoled?I doubt it.
Crocky is the L11 district of Liverpool known as Croxteth.It gained notoriety in the 1980's as smack city.And this is now were one faction hails from.The strand is a district also of L11 but Norris Green.And this is were the the second gang hold turf.The strand it's self is just a couple of rows of shops each side of a street called Scargreen Avenue.Norris Green is just an estate of terraced houses consisting of working and middle class people mostly owning their own homes.It has no nightclubs nor anything else of intrest to organised crime.So the question is why are there two gangs intent on killing each other?
The history of it goes back to school days.Both L11,Norris Green,and L11 Croxteth shared the same senior schools.A further instance of example is the two schools in Kirkby,a short distance from Croxteth.One St Kevins.And the other Roughwood.St Kevins, a catholic comprhensive with a school population of 1800 often fought pitched battles with its neighbor Roughwood.To the point were one school had to go,that school turned out to be St Kevins.This territorilism that children feel it essential to defend is the crux of the matter.And by the use of drugs its something they have not grown out of now they are young adults.Bearing in mind Liverpool has a culture of respect,that one time would have been sorted with a "square go"But a square go was often on unequal terms.The big well muscled lad could easily defeat the slim light weight.Guns leveled the field.Combined with the power feeling and drugs a dangerous cocktail has ensued.With the self confidence of cocain and crack.And the courage of ignorence and inexperience youngsters from 14 to 19 are killing each other.
Tonight The Strand has a bunch of flowers on every lampost on each side of the Avenue in consolation for Liam.I wonder if Mrs Smith is feeling consoled?I doubt it.
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