236:"Throwing up" a gang sign (e.g., "stacking", "page", "gang walk", "banging") with the hands is one of the most known and obvious forms of "claiming" or stating the gang one is affiliated with. It is used in many situations where other identifiers may not be possible or appropriate, and it can also show that a gang member is in the area to "do business" as opposed to just passing through. Usually, these signs are made by formation of the fingers on one or both hands to make some sort of symbol or letter. It can also serve to relay more specific information, such as what set they represent within a larger gang or in which activities they are currently taking part. Individual letters can be used to tell stories when flashed in rapid succession, each representing a word beginning with that letter. These signs, because they are displayed only when wanted (as opposed to the types of identifiers above), are usually the most consistent across various areas. Many of these hand signals are quite close to other common hand signs, and this can cause confusion among gang members, non-gang members, and anti-gang authorities. Most African American and Mexican gangs use these symbols.
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Masks can be worn in various types of colors and ways. This is done by gang members to signify which gang they are affiliated with. The most popular mask colors are red, blue, black, white, grey, pink, and yellow. It is typically worn on the left or right back pockets of gang members. They can also
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Gang members will often get tattoos to represent their gang, or subset of a gang which can include markings related to the street their set is from, or a nickname of the neighborhood given by a gang. For example, members of the Maniac Latin
Disciples set known as "Rata World" may get a tattoo of the
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Around the 1970s to 1990s, it was common for some of
Chicago's strongest street gangs to create custom varsity sweaters to represent their gang. This trend however eventually died out due to gang members in the Chicago area being robbed, beaten, or even killed by rival gangs due to the increased
469:
Gracheva, Anna S. and
Ivanina, Ekaterina O. and Markov, Yuri and Gorbunova, Elena, Familiar and Dangerous: Not Seeing Gopnik in the Crowd (October 18, 2018). Higher School of Economics Research Paper No. WP BRP 96/PSY/2018, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3269227 or
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or a hat, sometimes both. Black gang members are generally more individualistic with their clothing. The gang would wear specific clothing and certain accessories that would match their crew's colors. Most gang members wear brands such as Pro Club,
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is a strong signal that all gangs show. The clothing gangs wear allows rival gangs to identify who is friend and who is foe. For example, the uniforms for many
Hispanic gangs are standard and easily recognizable. Gangs such as the
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221:, and graffiti to indicate that the signaller favors, or is a member of, the associated gang. Many of these, especially slogans and hand signs, have become part of popular culture, especially in
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Another identifier that can be displayed only when desired is a gang handshake, which usually includes some component of the gang hand signs and/or other hand and finger symbols.
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status of having a rival's varsity jacket, the implication being that the victim was too weak or cowardly to keep it.
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10.4324/9780429462443-31/russian-street-gangs-social-construction-political-use-value-svetlana-stephenson
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Waldron, Leah. "What Is the
Meaning of Colored Masks?" EHow. Demand Media, 17 May 2010. Web. 05 Nov. 2012
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since the 1980s. They later become a staple feature of a criminal-derived subculture known as
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members identify their affiliation. This can take many forms including slogans, hand signs,
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Various verbal/visual gestures used to reveal one's affiliation with a particular gang
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be worn as a camp mask by wrapping around the head so only the eyes show.
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Another common gang identifier in 1970s to 1990s
Chicago were
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482:"The Violent Practices of Youth Territorial Groups in Moscow"
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would wear long yellow T-shirts, baggy pants, and either a
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513:"Consumption and Popular Culture among Youth in Siberia"
453:"Gopniki: Peripheral Masculinity in Post-Soviet Russia"
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339:are common among street gangs and criminals in
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511:Habeck, Joachim Otto; Ventsel, Aimar (2009).
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243:Clothing and other forms of identification
182:Learn how and when to remove this message
120:Learn how and when to remove this message
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470:http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3269227
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58:adding citations to reliable sources
1268:Three-finger salute (pro-democracy)
292:street their set originates from.
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45:needs additional citations for
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1263:Three-finger salute (Serbian)
480:Stephenson, Svetlana (2012).
409:Stephenson, Svetlana (2021),
387:Los Angeles Police Department
213:, is a verbal or visual way
162:the claims made and adding
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517:Zeitschrift für Ethnologie
383:"How Are Gangs Identified"
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880:Cryptocurrency and crime
451:Loeb, Eli (2020-01-01).
363:Schweizer, Harald Otto.
1646:Nonverbal communication
1430:Thumb/index-finger ring
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1054:Liberian snap handshake
326:Outlaw motorcycle clubs
702:Outlaw motorcycle club
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1626:Articulatory gestures
1258:Scout sign and salute
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1636:Manual communication
1297:Celebratory gestures
873:Financial regulation
457:Pomona Senior Theses
198:Hand signals of the
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1098:Gestures of respect
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687:Front organization
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16:(Redirected from
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43:This article
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19:
1631:Hand signals
1585:Merkel-Raute
1570:Hand rubbing
1540:Duterte fist
1472:Head motions
1253:Roman salute
1140:Genuflection
1110:Añjali Mudrā
1089:Thumb signal
1004:Finger heart
864:South Africa
802:Prison gangs
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492:(1): 69–90.
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365:"Gang Signs"
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172:January 2011
169:
146:
116:
110:January 2011
107:
97:
90:
83:
76:
64:
52:Please help
47:verification
44:
1560:Gang signal
1545:Eyelid pull
1479:Head bobble
1410:Nazi salute
1283:Wolf salute
1248:Raised fist
1243:Nazi salute
1195:Prostration
1074:Pinky swear
999:Eskimo kiss
854:Philippines
829:Netherlands
797:New Orleans
775:Los Angeles
743:New Zealand
716:By location
707:Prison gang
682:Drug cartel
585:Aspects and
523:(1): 1–22.
259:Latin Kings
249:Gang colors
211:gang signal
69:"Gang sign"
18:Gang symbol
1666:Categories
1580:Laban sign
1575:Jazz hands
1555:Finger gun
1505:Air quotes
1484:Head shake
1210:Schwurhand
1019:Hand heart
994:Elbow bump
984:Cheek kiss
913:Wiktionary
770:California
728:Bangladesh
594:Population
587:components
438:2024-03-14
351:References
337:Tracksuits
332:Tracksuits
232:Hand signs
156:improve it
80:newspapers
1525:Che vuoi?
1357:Chisanbop
1319:High five
1314:Fist pump
1145:Hand-kiss
1079:Pound hug
1034:High five
1029:Hand wave
1024:Handshake
1009:Fist bump
758:Liverpool
723:Australia
657:Informant
529:0044-2666
498:0966-8136
228:culture.
207:gang sign
160:verifying
1590:Pointing
1550:Facepalm
1390:Fig sign
1380:Anasyrma
1324:Low five
1304:Applause
1059:Lip kiss
1044:ILY sign
979:Applause
974:Air kiss
955:Gestures
839:Pakistan
677:Banditry
652:Henchman
647:Gun moll
642:Gangster
254:Clothing
1614:Related
1420:Shocker
1405:Mountza
1400:Mooning
1230:Salutes
1220:Zolgokh
1200:Sampeah
1190:Pranāma
1175:Namaste
1160:Kuji-in
1150:Hat tip
1064:Namaste
903:Commons
834:Nigeria
792:Memphis
787:Georgia
782:Chicago
753:Glasgow
738:Germany
287:Tattoos
268:Dickies
263:bandana
226:hip hop
154:Please
94:scholar
1641:Mudras
1453:Akanbe
1445:Taunts
1435:Wanker
1334:V sign
1205:Sembah
1155:Kowtow
1125:Curtsy
885:Hawala
844:Panama
824:Mexico
733:Canada
609:Colors
599:Tattoo
527:
496:
429:
345:gopnik
341:Russia
272:Levi's
270:, and
96:
89:
82:
75:
67:
1672:Gangs
1600:Shrug
1458:Loser
1185:Orans
1180:Ojigi
1170:Mudra
1135:Gadaw
1084:Shaka
1039:Hongi
969:Aegyo
819:India
692:Mafia
670:Types
614:Patch
569:Gangs
321:Vests
101:JSTOR
87:books
1165:Mano
1105:Adab
1049:Kiss
849:Peru
812:List
635:List
630:Boss
623:Role
604:Sign
525:ISSN
494:ISSN
427:ISBN
278:Mask
215:gang
73:news
1489:Nod
1215:Wai
1115:Bow
989:Dap
521:134
419:doi
158:by
56:by
1668::
1069:OK
519:.
515:.
490:64
488:.
484:.
455:.
425:,
413:,
385:.
367:.
347:.
274:.
205:A
947:e
940:t
933:v
561:e
554:t
547:v
531:.
500:.
459:.
421::
389:.
371:.
185:)
179:(
174:)
170:(
152:.
123:)
117:(
112:)
108:(
98:·
91:·
84:·
77:·
50:.
20:)
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