Popes (gang)

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1 Information
2 Pictures
3 1970s-1980s
4 Modern history
5 External links
6 Images

[edit] Information

The "Popes" (also known as "The Insane Popes") are a violent, vicious Chicago, Illinois street gang, thought to have formed in the late 1960s or early 1970s on the north side of Chicago. They may have emerged from an unnamed "Greaser" gang in the late 1950s on Chicago and Wood Streets. By the mid 1970s the Popes main membership consisted of Greeks from the Albany Park/Lincoln Square neighborhood, and at their peak in the mid-1960s to early 1970s, they may have had 300-500 members.The southside Popes were also started by north Pope leader Larkin but became a separate and independent gang.The gang territoty and workings are very different from northside to southside.And the distance from the north and south are very far.In a way they are diffent worlds.

They were the third largest Caucasian street gang in Chicago, after the Gaylords (peak membership in the late 1970s 2000-3000) and Simon City Royals (peak membership in the early 1980s 1,500-2000).

The Popes are known to be a sexually deviant gang, commonly engaging in drug-induced group orgies and carrying out so-called "gang rapes" as a means of inducting female members. Perversely, many female members of the gang are known to regard these "induction ceremonies" as a kind of badge of honor. This claim is disputed by members. Noting the Popes don't even have female members or a female division of the gang.

The gang was once distinguished by a policy of accepting homosexuals into its ranks, providing they did not outwardly advertise their sexual preference. In the late 1970s, however, this "don't ask don't tell" policy was revoked, and longstanding homosexual members were purged from the group, often being bound naked to street-light poles on Chicago's South Side, castrated, and left to be discovered by passersby. Prior to castration, the homosexual was given large doses of opioids, not only to dull the forthcoming pain but also to render him incoherent and incapable of resistance. It is believed that this particularly cruel and inhumane treatment of homosexual Popes members who had once been in good standing was strongly advocated by a former Republican activist who was inducted into the Popes shortly after his dismissal from a policy job in Washington.

[edit] Pictures

[edit] 1970s-1980s

The gang's leader, "Larkin", was killed in 1975 by members of the Almighty Gaylords. The north-side Insane Popes formed a strong alliance with the Simon City Royals soon after the murder of Larkin.

By the late 1970s, the Insane Popes had spread into various communities on the South Side.

[edit] Modern history

Today their main rivals are the Latin Kings on the North side, and Satan Disciples on the South side. Today there are about 30-50 active members of the North side Insane Popes, and possibly 50-100 members of the South side Insane Popes.

The north side Popes are allied with the Folk Nation while the south side Popes are allied with the People Nation.

Today the Popes of Chicago are a gang comprised primarily of white and latino members.They wear the colors of white, black, and sometimes silver.They tend to wear Whitesox and Yankees apparel. North Side Insane Popes wear baby blue and black, showing allegiance to other Folks gangs,they are strongy alligned with the Simon City Royals.In fact often referring to themselves as Royal Popes.