The 211 Crew, or 211, is a large racist prison gang based in Colorado. Alternative names for the gang include Aryan Alliance and Brotherhood of Aryan Alliance. The group remains active.
The group’s primary tattoo (the “shield” or “patch”) is a complex triangular symbol made up of interlocking arms, with hand symbols holding lightning bolts and the number 211 at the center. According to law enforcement authorities, the gang’s name originated from the California Penal Code section concerning robbery. However, members claim that 211 is a numerical code for BAA, meaning Brotherhood of Aryan Alliance, using the letters’ positions in the Latin alphabet.
Best Practice
What makes 211 particularly notable is that, in Los Angeles, the anti-hate community, together with humanitarian advocacy movements, has adopted the number and incorporated it into an awareness campaign promoting a telephone hotline for reporting hate incidents.
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