Gang Clothing a Concern Print
Written by Robert ID1091   
Thursday, 31 March 2005 01:32

San Jose city officials are asking businesses to stop selling hip-hop style numbered basketball jerseys modified to glorify street gangs, arguing that the clothing puts youth at risk.

A letter signed by Mayor Ron Gonzales asks merchants to stop selling red and blue shirts, jackets and hats emblazoned with the number 14 for Nortenos and 13 for Surenos. Angel Rios, who heads the mayor's Gang Prevention Task Force, said he recognizes the rights of businesses to free speech but said the city doesn''t "want to promote businesses selling merchandise that could get someone killed."
"We want to keep people safe," he said. Brendan Jensen, who manages San Jose Blue Jeans, said he shared the letter with his employees, who were willing to cooperate. But he said he was surprised when two San Jose police gang investigators came to his store to survey merchandise.

"We want to cooperate, but when they came in and started taking pictures, that upset me a little bit," he said.

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