Cease-Fire for Easter Weekend Is Urged in South-Central L.A.

The question seemed simple enough. When was the last weekend that no one was killed in South-Central Los Angeles?

When the police could not immediately supply an answer, that was enough for the Rev. E. V. Hill, pastor of Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church, who led community leaders Wednesday in kicking off a campaign for a “no-killing” Easter weekend.

Standing in front of an empty coffin, Hill lamented, “We have too many of these being sold in our community.”

Plans call for plastering South-Central neighborhoods with flyers pleading for a cease-fire from Good Friday through Easter Sunday. Major streets have been divided up among churches, whose members will ask homeowners and merchants to display the flyers.

The Brotherhood Crusade also plans to send volunteers to parks to “spread the word to keep the peace,” spokesman Ralph Sutton said.

The Los Angeles Police Department’s South Bureau last year reported 377 homicides--including two on Easter weekend. This year, there have been 88 killings, a 15% increase from the same period a year ago.

“Let us heed the spirit of the holy day,” Hill said. “If Easter means anything, it means life. . . . If we could have just one weekend of no killing, it might lead us to believe that we can do something about it year-round.”

Hill’s initial query finally was answered after some research. Police replied that the last weekend without a killing in the South Bureau was in late January.

The effort to repeat those days of peace was taken to the streets earlier this week. Hill said he told a group of gang members: “Give the signal that nobody will be killed, if for no other reason but to prove that we can do it.”