At all times, relations between citizens and law enforcement agencies were, to put it mildly, strained. People expressed their dissatisfaction with the executive authorities in different ways. For some, it is enough to throw two or three strong words against the “policemen”, and someone needs to write something offensive on the wall or fence. And individual individuals make a tattoo on their body, which reflects their attitude and worldview. Among tattooists, a certain conditional symbolism and abbreviations of established expressions have been adopted. So…
What does acab mean?
Many, not knowing the true meaning, associated this word with the Arab countries, the activities of radical Muslim organizations. Actually, it's an acronym. It stands for all cops are bastards. Literally translated from English, this means “all cops are geeks” (or “bastards”). The acab tattoo was widespread in UK prisons. It was applied mainly to the phalanges of the fingers. It turned out one letter for each finger. Over time, the inscription acab began to be applied to other parts of the body - legs (knee caps), back, chest, etc. Also, this slogan was used during strikes by English miners. In the seventies of the twentieth century, The 4-Skins popularized this abbreviation by releasing a song of the same name. By the end of the nineties, this inscription on clothes or in the form of a tattoo could be seen on football fans, hooligans and representatives of street gangs, although not all of them knew what acab meant. Also, this word can be found in various areas of subcultures: rappers, punks, anarchists and the like.
What does acab mean today?
Currently, this abbreviation can be said to be world-famous. The countries of the former Soviet Union have their own variation on this theme: "all cops are goats." Such a phrase could also be seen among the prisoners of the times of the USSR. Very often this inscription can be found in the form of graffiti. It is worth noting that in the English version, such art on the walls "lives" longer than the Russian version. Public utilities are in no hurry to erase or paint over it. Perhaps the reason lies in simple ignorance: many still do not know what acab means. Or maybe people are just showing tolerance for foreign symbols.
Alternate value
In our time, English is more and more sublimated with Russian. Western culture is gradually assimilated with our traditions. This iscan be traced in modern slang, fashion, musical trends and
other cultural aspects. The phrase referred to in this article has been actively spread and promoted among teenage subcultures. In Russia, for example, you can see clothes with this abbreviation. After the release of Stefano Solim's film ACAB in 2012, she becomes even more popular. So, a new fashion for the use of this name has appeared. But, given the local realities, enterprising people go to various tricks, coming up with alternative decryption options. For example, “All Cops Are Beautiful” or “Always Carry A Bible.” Perhaps, over time, there will be other variations on this theme. After all, the creativity of the Russian people does not hold!
