Terror in Las Vegas

A special report on fan gang behavior at the Las Vegas Hilton--

Fueled by money, online internet groups, celebrity worship and easy accessibility to said celebrity, fan gangs have flourished at the Las Vegas Hilton and spread across the Atlantic and beyond, thanks to inadequate intervention strategies and frequent gang meetings and strategy sessions online.

In the face of those tepid efforts, fan gangs have exploded, manifesting themselves in the evening hours within the Hilton Theater and at the small, yet intimate bar Tempo adjacent to the theater. Some gang members have also been seen in large groups following, threatening and harassing others on the casino floor. At the same time, gangs have grown more brash and outspoken in a level of obsession that holds many concert goers and non-gang fans in a state of shock and disarray—not to mention fearful for the safety of the celebrity.


GANG CHARACTERISTICS
Most members are proud of their gangs and freely admit membership. Many dress in a style identifying their particular gang and use hand signs or signals. Personal belongings are frequently covered with graffiti and bear the gangs’s logo and the member’s gang name. Individuals on the fringe of gang involvement are reluctant to identify themselves as gang members. They often state that their friends are gang members but they are not. However, rival gang members make no distinction between a gang member and his associates.
Gangs frequently gather in dark areas to avoid being seen. In these locations they will often drink, stalk and harass those who are not like them.

CLOTHING
While clothing alone cannot positively determine individual membership in a gang, color and style serve to identify each gang. Preferred clothes include sparkly tops, evening dresses, clothing brandishing cleavage.
Gang graffiti, gang symbols, messages or names are written or embroidered on jackets, pants and baseball caps, belt buckles, key chains, t-shirts, starter jackets (team jackets).Expensive or gaudy jewelry like heavy gold rope chains, earrings and large rings are favored.

GRAFFITI
Used to identify gangs and mark their ‘turf’ or territory. Can indicate status or power.Many include gang name, nicknames, declaration of loyalty, threats against rival gangs or a description of criminal acts in which the gang has been involved.

RECRUITING
Signs that fans may have joined gangs include crude and elaborate tattoos, females wearing heavy eye makeup and dark lipstick, females congregating in large crowds outside certain areas of the theater, harassing and pressuring those who are not in the gang to join because they are the most influential and powerful.

GANG BEHAVIOR
Fan gangs tend to develop a sense of power manifested by large numbers.These gangs are empowered by secret signs, private telephone conversations, and sticking together to fend off those who try to attack the gang or its leaders.They tend to be rowdy, disrespectful, rude, and generally brash in their fan behavior, especially when spending hours together prior to the scheduled gang activities.

COMBATING GANGS
Success has been achieved in combating these gangs by employing extra security, identifying the gang members by their photos, tracking through use of the internet and other security measures, and utilizing non-gang members who are also fans to apply pressure during gang-related activities. While fan intervention and psychiatric treatment is recommended, it has been found that most will not admit this behavior and claim normalcy.

What we have is a situation out of control. It's like entering a danger zone. Not just for the non-gang fans, but for the celebrity who has become the target of their dangerous behavior. While everyone wants to get rid of these crazy psychopaths, the consensus is that the more they gather together, the more they draw strength in numbers. These fan gangs have become a security issue, a celebrity issue, and a threat to the enjoyment and safety of non-gang fans.

**a parody of an online article on gangs and gang behavior**

Educating the public,
Texas Fan

(special thanks to YBA, Peachy, Just Life, and Redcat for the being the voices of sanity in this crazy world of fans)