A movement aimed at tackling Bermuda's gang problem is "part organisation, part military campaign", one of its co-founders said at a public meeting last night.

Lou Matthews told members of We Will Rise Above, Bermuda: "We are organising soldiers to go and fight a battle, in a way."

The movement, formed on December 6, the day after the fatal shooting of 30-year-old Kumi Harford on St. Monica's Road, Pembroke, held a two-hour session at Victor Scott Primary School to finalise a plan of 30 direct actions.

More than 100 people attended and split into small groups to cover the issues of community, youth, faith, gang intervention and mentoring.

Rise co-founder Dwayne Caines told those gathered: "I'm so proud that tonight we see a fair representation of who we are. One of the things we want to get away from is [being seen as] a group. A movement has motion and it develops and as it develops it changes."

He said the numbers may have been less than at the first meeting but that it wasn't necessarily a bad thing.

"We are getting now to the people who are dedicated. I'd rather be 40 people who are dedicated than 400 who are not."

He said Rise's gang intervention group had met "feverishly" over the last week, including last night at a location on Elliott Street. Mr. Caines said it was important that the group not be seen as trying to run gang members off their turf.

Rise member Glenn Fubler suggested that the movement ought to use non-confrontational language but Dr. Matthews said: "We are fighting some things." He urged Rise members to attend a peace rally this Friday in Par-la-Ville Park at 7 p.m.

Dr. Matthews later told The Royal Gazette that the movement had made a major step forward in firming up its "actions" and would probably not meet again until after the holiday.

He said he was pleased at the cross-section of society represented at the meeting. "It warms my heart to see people from different walks of life but too many people from all walks of life react cowardly to these situations.

"They act in their own self interest. We have to realise that this is in all of our interest. If Bermuda doesn't learn that lesson one day, then I don't know what to say."