▁a ▁m ural ▁of ▁the ▁Virgin ▁Mary ▁has ▁expressed ▁the ▁Ch icano ▁culture . ▁ ▁Ra cial ▁violence ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 1 , ▁parts ▁of ▁the ▁Gate way ▁were ▁known ▁to ▁be ▁" the ▁tur f ▁of ▁war ring ▁black ▁and ▁Lat ino ▁gang s , ▁and ▁Gard ena ▁High ▁School ▁students ▁of ▁those ▁two ▁eth nic ities ▁" cl ashed ▁after ▁a ▁mult icult ural ▁program ▁in ▁the ▁school ▁aud itor ium ." ▁In ▁December ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁the ▁Los ▁Angeles ▁Times ▁reported ▁that ▁ra cial ▁t ensions ▁" have ▁held ▁this ▁working - class ▁neighborhood ▁in ▁a ▁state ▁of ▁fear ▁for ▁years " ▁and ▁that ▁the ▁ ▁Lat ino ▁ 2 0 4 th ▁Street ▁Gang , ▁" not ed ▁for ▁pre ying ▁on " ▁black s ▁had ▁war ned ▁all ▁black s ▁to ▁stay ▁south ▁of ▁ 2 0 6 th ▁Street . ▁The ▁neighborhood ▁aver aged ▁" about ▁one ▁Lat ino - on - black ▁hom ic ide " ▁each ▁year ▁since ▁ 1 9 9 7 , ▁the ▁Los ▁Angeles ▁Police ▁Department ▁reported . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 7 , ▁police , ▁the ▁county ▁Human ▁Rel ations ▁Commission ▁and ▁neighb ors ▁organized ▁to ▁fight ▁the ▁gang ▁and ▁the ▁bl ight . ▁The ▁city ▁added ▁bullet proof ▁street light ▁covers . ▁Res idents ▁rep a ired ▁holes ▁in ▁f ences ▁-- ▁escape ▁routes ▁for ▁gang ▁members . ▁Girl ▁Sc outs , ▁accompanied ▁by ▁officers , ▁picked ▁up ▁tr ash ▁and ▁painted ▁over