What Do the Five Points on a Latin Crown Stand For?
The Latin crown is a symbol used by a gang called the Latin Kings. The crown has five points, and they represent love, respect, obedience, honor and sacrifice.
The Latin Kings are a Latino gang based in both Chicago and New York City, but it has active chapters throughout the United States. The Latin Kings are considered the largest Latino gang in Chicago and one of the largest Latino gangs in the entire United States.
The gang was originally formed in the 1940s by immigrants who had come to Chicago from Puerto Rico. Its fundamental concept is Hispanic pride. The gang is organized with a hierarchy structure and has a reputation for excessive street violence and illegal drug distribution. The gang is funded by street sales of drugs such as cocaine and heroin.
Tattoos serve as important identification markers for members of the Latin Kings. The five-pointed Latin crown is the gang’s primary symbol, but members of the gang also use lions, the initials LK, black and gold coloring, and beaded rosaries and necklaces to distinguish themselves.
Age varies widely for members of the Kings, including men as old as 50 or 60 and school-aged children, who are recruited by existing members. Total membership is estimated to include tens of thousands of people.
