A CONCERNED community leader is organising a public meeting to try to solve the problems of gang culture in the area.

Hassan Ali, director of the Somali Teaching Centre, based in Walpole Place, Woolwich, has organised the meeting, which will include councillors, police and traders.

It comes after the recent fatal shootings in south London and a video of a gun-toting, primarily Somali, gang posted on a popular internet website.

The video, featuring The Younger Woolwich Boys, was added to youtube.com three months ago.

Since then it has been viewed more than 13,000 times and has brought in comments urging the boys on and congratulating them on the quality of the video and the hip-hop song. (Scroll down to watch the video)

However, many in the community are fed up, not only with the gangs, but with the police as well.

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Mr Ali believes the boys need to be supported by both police and parents.

He said: "People in this community are not safe, and they feel this. Therefore, many boys join gangs for protection.

"They buy guns to defend themselves and end up glorifying them.

"No matter if they are white, Somali, Jamaican or Nigerian, they are always being assaulted by rival gangs."

The 33-year-old added: "If they take their problems to the police, nothing gets done, so they learn to deal with the problems themselves, with their hands.

"There is a lack of trust between the police and the neighbourhood.

"When people call the police, they must wait 30 to 40 minutes and sometimes they do not come at all."

The father-of-four said: "There are a lot of gangs, a lot of drugs in the neighbourhood.

"But where are the parents? They need to give these kids advice and raise them properly.

"We need to figure together how to get these boys off the streets. This is why I have organised this meeting."

Shopkeeper Zeina Ali, 51, works in Anglesea Road.

She said: "They have nothing to do and nowhere to go.

"The boys are very nice and some are very shy, but they are much too aggressive.

"Young people and their families come from very bad situations and war-torn countries. They need help and support and receive nothing."

Detective Chief Inspector Simon Tovee, who deals with youth crime, said: "Reducing youth crime is a priority for Greenwich police and we are involved in a range of activities and initiatives.

"This includes safer neighbourhoods teams and engaging with people, in particular young people.

"We have safer schools officers based in our secondary schools borough-wide.

"They play an important role in encouraging young people away from negative influences".

Youngsters at the youth centre, which is open five days a week, range in age from 15 to 18.

The meeting at Woolwich town hall is due to take place in mid-March.

Click the play button below to watch the video.