fuck 12

English

Fuck 12 graffiti in Minneapolis, Minnesota, referencing the murder of George Floyd

Etymology

From fuck +‎ 12, of uncertain origin. Widespread use of the phrase as an anti-police slogan grew following the 2014 killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri.

• Possibly from 1312, an alternative form of ACAB (“all cops are bastards”) in which the letters are substituted with their position in the alphabet.
• Alternatively, from the American police procedural television series Adam-12 (1968–1975), in which 1-Adam-12 refers to a patrol unit and its radio call sign.

Likely popularized by "F*ck 12", a song by American hip hop group Migos from their 2013 mixtape Y.R.N. (Young Rich Niggas), which uses 12 in reference to the police while describing a narcotics raid: “12 kickin' in my front door […] 12 in my home, they won't leave me alone”.

Phrase

fuck 12

1. (slang, vulgar, derogatory) Fuck the police, an anti-police slogan protesting police behaviour.

   Synonyms: 1312, ACAB, FTP

   • 2014 August 17, Ray Downs, “Ferguson Protesters Defy State of Emergency Curfew and Fight Tear Gas”, in Riverfront Times‎^[1]:

     Vehicles with the words "Fuck 12" painted on the sides and windows drove down West Florissant Avenue, honking in support of protesters on the street as others would chant the straight-to-the-point slogan.

   • 2020 May 7, Tyler Fenwick, “'We're just trying to get answers': Fatal IMPD shooting captured on Facebook Live”, in Indianapolis Recorder‎^[2]:

     Kwame Shakur, deputy chairman of the New African Black Panther Party, showed up with a megaphone and led the protesters in chants of "All power to the people" and "Fuck 12."