Yardie
Encyclopedia
Yardie is a term stemming from the slang name originally given to occupants of "government yards", social housing projects with very basic amenities, in Trenchtown
, a neighborhood in West Kingston
, Jamaica
. Trenchtown was originally built as a housing project following devastation caused by Hurricane Charlie
. Each development was built around a central courtyard with communal cooking facilities. Poverty, crime, and gang violence became endemic in the neighbourhood, leading the occupants of Trenchtown to be in part stigmatized by the term "Yardie".
, Harlesden
, Stonebridge
, Hackney
and Tottenham
.
, and surrounding areas, the term "yardie" or, more commonly, "yawdie" is used primarily to refer to someone from Jamaica or generally the English-speaking Caribbean. However, the term is expanded to include people all over the world whose relatives are of West Indian origin, and people who are of French- or Spanish-speaking Caribbean origin who identify with the people from the English-speaking Caribbean.
, notably marijuana
and crack cocaine
in the United Kingdom
. In 1993, Yardies were blamed for the murder of Police Constable Patrick Dunne, shot dead while patrolling in Clapham
.
British
police are hesitant to categorize Yardie gangs as organized crime, since there appears to be no real structure or central leadership. Gang affiliations can be described as loose at best. Neither have yardies made any attempts at setting up fronts for their illegal activities, nor any serious attempts to corrupt and infiltrate law enforcement organizations.
A number of operations to combat Yardie and black gun crime have been set up, notably Operation Trident in the London
area. Yardie (or imitator) gangs also appear to be active in Bristol
, Birmingham
and Nottingham
but to a far lesser extent.
In Bristol in the early 2000s, Yardie gangs fought a turf war with the native Aggi Crew
, members of which had recently been released from prison on parole. The potential for violence was so great that armed patrols were called out on the city streets, but eventually the Aggis were arrested and thrown back in jail for parole violation.
Trenchtown
Trench Town is a neighborhood located in the parish of St. Andrew which shares municipality with Kingston, the capital and largest city of Jamaica. In the 1960s Trench Town was known as the Hollywood of Jamaica. Today Trench Town boasts the Trench Town Culture Yard Museum, a visitor friendly...
, a neighborhood in West Kingston
Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island...
, Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
. Trenchtown was originally built as a housing project following devastation caused by Hurricane Charlie
Hurricane Charlie (1951)
Hurricane Charlie was the deadliest tropical cyclone of the 1951 Atlantic hurricane season. The third named storm, second hurricane, and second major hurricane of the season, it developed from a tropical wave east of the Lesser Antilles. It moved briskly west-northwest, passing between the islands...
. Each development was built around a central courtyard with communal cooking facilities. Poverty, crime, and gang violence became endemic in the neighbourhood, leading the occupants of Trenchtown to be in part stigmatized by the term "Yardie".
In the United Kingdom
During the 1950s, the British Government encouraged immigration to the country to fill existing job vacancies. Within the Caribbean community, new arrivals from Jamaica were sometimes referred to as "Yardies" due to their perceived lower financial status, though the term could also be applied with nostalgic affection. In the following years, gang violence or behaviour on the part of Jamaicans became known in wider British society as "Yardie culture" and the participants "Yardies". The terms "Yardie gang" or "Yardie gun violence" were largely used by the British media to described violent crimes in London's black community. The gangs in London are specifically known to have occupied and operated in their infamous grounds of BrixtonBrixton
Brixton is a district in the London Borough of Lambeth in south London, England. It is south south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London....
, Harlesden
Harlesden
Harlesden is an area in the London Borough of Brent, northwest London, UK. Its main focal point is the Jubilee Clock which commemorates Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee....
, Stonebridge
Stonebridge, London
-See also:* Harlesden* Harlesden station* The nearby Dudding Hill Line in Craven Park...
, Hackney
London Borough of Hackney
The London Borough of Hackney is a London borough of North/North East London, and forms part of inner London. The local authority is Hackney London Borough Council....
and Tottenham
Tottenham
Tottenham is an area of the London Borough of Haringey, England, situated north north east of Charing Cross.-Toponymy:Tottenham is believed to have been named after Tota, a farmer, whose hamlet was mentioned in the Domesday Book; hence Tota's hamlet became Tottenham...
.
Yardies in the United States
In the United States, particularly Miami, New YorkNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, and surrounding areas, the term "yardie" or, more commonly, "yawdie" is used primarily to refer to someone from Jamaica or generally the English-speaking Caribbean. However, the term is expanded to include people all over the world whose relatives are of West Indian origin, and people who are of French- or Spanish-speaking Caribbean origin who identify with the people from the English-speaking Caribbean.
Criminal activity
Yardie gangs are notorious for their involvement in gun crime and the illegal drug tradeIllegal drug trade
The illegal drug trade is a global black market, dedicated to cultivation, manufacture, distribution and sale of those substances which are subject to drug prohibition laws. Most jurisdictions prohibit trade, except under license, of many types of drugs by drug prohibition laws.A UN report said the...
, notably marijuana
Cannabis (drug)
Cannabis, also known as marijuana among many other names, refers to any number of preparations of the Cannabis plant intended for use as a psychoactive drug or for medicinal purposes. The English term marijuana comes from the Mexican Spanish word marihuana...
and crack cocaine
Crack cocaine
Crack cocaine is the freebase form of cocaine that can be smoked. It may also be termed rock, hard, iron, cavvy, base, or just crack; it is the most addictive form of cocaine. Crack rocks offer a short but intense high to smokers...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. In 1993, Yardies were blamed for the murder of Police Constable Patrick Dunne, shot dead while patrolling in Clapham
Clapham
Clapham is a district in south London, England, within the London Borough of Lambeth.Clapham covers the postcodes of SW4 and parts of SW9, SW8 and SW12. Clapham Common is shared with the London Borough of Wandsworth, although Lambeth has responsibility for running the common as a whole. According...
.
British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
police are hesitant to categorize Yardie gangs as organized crime, since there appears to be no real structure or central leadership. Gang affiliations can be described as loose at best. Neither have yardies made any attempts at setting up fronts for their illegal activities, nor any serious attempts to corrupt and infiltrate law enforcement organizations.
A number of operations to combat Yardie and black gun crime have been set up, notably Operation Trident in the London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
area. Yardie (or imitator) gangs also appear to be active in Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
, Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
and Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
but to a far lesser extent.
In Bristol in the early 2000s, Yardie gangs fought a turf war with the native Aggi Crew
Aggi Crew
The Aggi Crew were a criminal drug gang based in the St Pauls district of Bristol. The name of the gang was taken from the surnames of the founding gang members...
, members of which had recently been released from prison on parole. The potential for violence was so great that armed patrols were called out on the city streets, but eventually the Aggis were arrested and thrown back in jail for parole violation.