What is ACAB (1312) Meaning & Translation, and About ACAB Coin

The acronym ACAB never fades. It expresses resistance against police brutality towards the people.  

Around the world, the term ACAB is also disguised with the number sequence 1312, as a symbol of mass power.  

Interestingly, ACAB has also become a cryptocurrency name, although its popularity is not particularly high.

In this article, we will explore what ACAB is, what ACAB means, why the number 1312 is used, and what the ACAB coin is.

What is ACAB - ACAB Meaning and Translation

At its core, ACAB stands for “All Cops Are Bastards.” The phrase has always been controversial, but it doesn’t always carry the literal meaning outsiders assume. 

For many who use it, ACAB is less about every single police officer being personally corrupt, and more about a critique of the system of policing itself. 

The logic goes: if the institution is broken, then everyone who enforces its rules is complicit.

It’s raw, it’s direct, and it’s emotional, exactly why it has stuck around for so long. People paint it on walls, tattoo it on their skin, and chant it in the streets because it captures frustration in four short letters.

And it’s not just English speakers using it. Around the world, the ACAB meaning has been translated and localized into different languages, carrying the same rebellious spirit. Here’s how it looks across cultures:

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Indonesian: Semua Polisi Bajingan – often whispered among activists or scrawled in hidden graffiti.

Russian: Все копы ублюдки (Vse kopy ublyudki) – blunt and direct, appearing in underground punk scenes.

French: Tous les flics sont des bâtards – shouted during Paris protests against pension reforms and police violence.

German: Alle Cops sind Bastarde – one of the earliest European adaptations, tied to football fan and punk movements.

Spanish: Todos los policías son bastardos – spray-painted during anti-austerity marches and student demonstrations.

Portuguese: Todos os policiais são bastardos – common in Brazil’s urban protests.

Swedish: Alla poliser är bastarder – carried over from Scandinavian punk subculture.

Turkish: Tüm polisler piçtir – appears in street protests, especially in Istanbul.

Korean: 모든 경찰은 배신자다 (Modeun gyeongchareun baesinjada) – adapted with a slightly different nuance, meaning “all police are betrayers.”

Polish: Wszyscy gliniarze to dranie – tied to both anarchist circles and football ultras.

Thai: ตำรวจทุกคนเป็นคนเลว (Tamruat thuk khon pen khon leo) – shouted during recent youth-led protests in Bangkok.

Wherever you look, the resistance of ACAB has crossed borders. It shows how a slogan born in one corner of the world can turn into a global symbol of defiance.

History of ACAB

So, where did this all begin? The history of ACAB goes back further than many people think.

1920s–1940s (UK) – The phrase first cropped up in Britain, used in prison graffiti and among working-class groups. It was a quiet act of rebellion against authority.

1970s–1980s – With the rise of punk rock, skinhead culture, and anarchist movements, ACAB got louder. Bands wrote it into their lyrics, and football hooligans scrawled it across banners. It became part of Europe’s street culture.

1990s–2000s – The slogan traveled, carried by music, graffiti, and the global spread of counterculture. It became a shorthand for youth rebellion.

2010s–2020s – ACAB exploded into the mainstream during the Black Lives Matter protests. From Ferguson in 2014 to the George Floyd protests in 2020, ACAB and its coded form 1312 appeared on posters, social media feeds, and murals across the world.

In other words, ACAB has gone from prison slang to a rallying cry repeated by millions.

Cultural historians note that ACAB was never just about calling out individuals, it was a slogan aimed at the system itself. 

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A deep frustration with authoritarianism, state violence, and policing structures gave the phrase its power.

Of course, it’s controversial. The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) even lists ACAB as a hate symbol in certain contexts, especially when adopted by extremist groups. But that doesn’t erase its other meaning. 

For many activists, ACAB is less about hate and more about holding a flawed institution accountable.

This duality, both hated and celebrated, has given ACAB its staying power.

Why Was It Disguised as 1312?

One of the most fascinating parts of ACAB’s story is how it morphed into 1312. The code is simple:

A = 1

C = 3

A = 1

B = 2

Put together, 1312 = ACAB.

Why bother with numbers? In some countries, openly writing ACAB can get you arrested or fined. 

Switching it to 1312 made it harder for authorities to crack down. It also worked as a kind of inside code, those who knew, knew.

Graffiti, tattoos, hashtags, and even music started carrying “1312” instead of the full phrase, turning numbers into another layer of rebellion.

ACAB in Cryptocurrency

Now here’s the twist no one saw coming: ACAB is also a cryptocurrency.

The ACAB Token (or ACAB Coin) appeared as a meme coin on CoinMarketCap, joining the ranks of other culture-driven coins like Dogecoin, Pepe Coin, and countless others. 

Its value doesn’t come from financial fundamentals, it comes from attention, controversy, and meme power.

By borrowing from the ACAB slogan, the coin brands itself as edgy, rebellious, and anti-establishment. It’s not about supporting the protest itself, it’s about packaging that energy into a digital asset.

A Relevant Moment: The 2020 Protests

When ACAB surged into the spotlight during the George Floyd protests, it went global on social media. 

Hashtags like #ACAB and #1312 trended on Twitter and TikTok, painting the internet with the same graffiti energy found on city walls. 

It’s no coincidence that soon after, crypto projects began picking up these cultural memes.

Just as Dogecoin rode the wave of internet humor, ACAB Coin tapped into the protest-meme crossover, proving that in today’s world, even resistance slogans can be monetized.

Final Note

The story of ACAB and 1312 is about more than four letters or a string of numbers. It’s about how language travels, transforms, and takes on new meaning in different contexts.

What is ACAB? A protest slogan meaning “All Cops Are Bastards,” used to call out systemic issues in policing.

What is 1312? A coded version of ACAB, used in graffiti, tattoos, and online spaces to avoid censorship.

History of ACAB – From British prisons to punk rock, from football stands to global protests.

Resistance of ACAB – A phrase of defiance, controversial but undeniably powerful.

ACAB Coin – The latest evolution, where a protest slogan transforms into a meme cryptocurrency.

From walls and music stages to hashtags and blockchains, ACAB has traveled further than anyone could have predicted. 

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Whether you see it as a protest cry, a controversial label, or a clever meme coin, one thing is clear: 

ACAB and 1312 are more than just letters and numbers, they’re symbols of resistance that refuse to fade.

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FAQ

What does ACAB stand for?

ACAB stands for “All Cops Are Bastards.” It is a slogan used in protests and counterculture movements to criticize systemic issues in policing.

What is the meaning of 1312?

1312 is a numerical code for ACAB, where each number represents the position of a letter in the alphabet (A=1, C=3, A=1, B=2). It is often used as graffiti or online shorthand.

Is ACAB considered a hate symbol?

According to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), ACAB is sometimes classified as a hate symbol, especially when used by extremist groups. However, many activists use it as a call against systemic police brutality rather than as hate speech.

What is ACAB Coin or ACAB Token?

ACAB Coin is a meme cryptocurrency inspired by the ACAB slogan. It is listed on CoinMarketCap and reflects the trend of culture-driven coins like Dogecoin and Pepe Coin.

Why is ACAB sometimes translated into other languages?

ACAB has become a global protest slogan, and translations such as “Tous les flics sont des bâtards” (French) or “Todos los policías son bastardos” (Spanish) help localize its meaning while carrying the same resistance spirit.