The colors black and red have been used by anarchists since at least the late 1800s, though generally used by anarcho-
communists. The
flag was used as the symbol of the anarcho-
syndicalists by the
CNT during the Spanish Civil
War. The black represents
anarchism and the red represents leftist and socialist ideals. George Woodcock writes that the bisected black-and-red
flag symbolized a uniting of "the spirit of later
anarchism with the mass appeal of the First International"
A.C.A.B. (All Cops Are Bastards) is an
acronym used as a political slogan associated with
radical activists who are opposed to the police. It is typically written as a catchphrase in
graffiti, tattoos, or other imagery in public spaces. It is sometimes numerically rendered as "
1312," representing the ordering of the letters in the alphabet. During the 1980s, ACAB became a symbol of anti-Establishment, especially within the
punk and skinhead subcultures. It was popularized in particular by the 1982 song "A.C.A.B." by Oi! band The 4-Skins. In later years, ACAB turned into a popular slogan among European
football hooligans and
ultras, and among anarchist and anti-authoritarian movements
… Read more across the world. In the wake of the May 2020 murder of
George Floyd by police officer Derek Chauvin, the use of the term A.C.A.B. became more frequently used by those who oppose
police brutality. As protests in response to Floyd's death and discussions about racially motivated
police violence spread through the
United States, A.C.A.B. was more frequently referenced on social media