TEENAGE WASTELAND

Vhat’s UP with the Undergroun

Sunday, April 11, 1993 —- North Shore News - 3

OSSe

17-year-old North Vancouver youth gang members on friends, money and partying

THE FOLLOWING is the second
part of a News series that looks at
teen violence, its victims and
perpetrators. Contributing writer
Paula Carlson interviewed Mark
and Nigel (not their real names),
members of a local youth gang.

By Paula Carison
Contributing Writer

MARK AND Nigel are both 17.

They embody all that 17 used
to, and still does, mean. They are
restless, eager and filled with an
explosive energy.. But they also
represent another breed of youth;
angry, unforgiving,.and violent.

Mark and Nigel are members of
the Underground Posse (UP),
North Vancouver youth gang.

They agreed to talk, to give the
“real story,’ on who they are and
what they do.

Nigel is fairly tall, He is wear-
ing a kangaroo-style jacket, jeans
and runners.

Mark is stocky and* wears ‘a
trademark Bulls shirt, ‘Docs,’ and
a yellow bandana. Yellow is going
_ to be the UP official color.

So tell me about the gang scene in
North Vancouver. About how
many gargs are there?

M: ‘Well, there used to be
NVL (North Van Locals), but
they’re kind of history now.
‘They’ve been kicked out of North
Van about a year ago. There's
Lourassa, a downtown gang with
600 members, and LC, a Spanish
gang. And chere’s the BBC, that's
the Bad Boys Club, and that’s the
Indians. Mostly little kids, 12 to
16, trying: to make something of
themselves.”

‘They're raunchy, aren't they?

‘oN: “Yeah, well they jump you.
Like ‘say, you’re UP, and you're
walking down the street, 30 of
Zem will jump you.”’

‘What about: initiations? How do,

you become.a gang member?
M: “Like us, UP,
‘butts...””
:Head-butts? :— .
"Ms “Yeah, . usually, with the
‘normal ones, there'll be: 20 or 30
‘ of us, one after the other, bashing
our foreheads on the skull of this
one person, and if they fall down,
they’re not init.: .
Nz But. then, the BBC starts
thinking, yeah, that’s not sh**, so
" we started changing it.”
“So what’s your initiation now?
: M: “OK, the last couple times
that 1 did it, ] was beating them
up, and like: hitting them with

2x4s and stuff, because people —

usually request that.’’
.: You beat people up with 2xas?
N: ‘‘Yeah,.”’
“People usually request
that, because people think that if
-. you ‘get hit by head-butis, you

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NORTH VANCOUVER S Underground Posse members estimate the gang has over 150 members —
29 leaders” and another third of which are “just kids.”’

know, they think, oh, that’s not
anything. But there’s never less
than 10 people, more like 20 or
30, and you have to go through
them all. All that is square on the
head. When I got initiated, after
about six or seven of ’em, |
blacked out. But they wanted me
to join, so they just held’ me up to
finish. If you can't’ do ‘em all,
you're not in.”’.
How many people are in the UP?
N: .‘‘Well, there’s. about 20
leaders, main people, and about
100 to 150 others, about 30 or 40
of which are just kids.”
How long have you two been in?
M and N: “About a year.”
‘Ns “UP is. not out for total

destruction...’

M: ‘*(Laughs) well, we are...””

N: ‘‘Yeah, we are, but...”” '
What is the definition, of ‘a
“gang?

Mand N: ‘‘Friends!”’

N: ‘Friends, money, partying...
it’s’ mostly about friends. .We
don’t fight one on one.”

What about enprovoked, random

violence? Does the UP do that?

N: ‘*Well, no ... it depends.’’
M: ‘‘Not really, no.” ut

N: ‘‘Well, sometimes like, ‘if 1.

was super p****d, and I’m lowk-

ing for it, | might start something;
say to somebody, ‘Yeah, what the.

f*** you looking at?’ and if they
looked back. I'd go start some-
thing, and then we’d all be all
over them.’”

M: ‘Basically, it’s up to the in-
dividual person. Personally, me?
No, ! wouldn’t.””

N: “If we see somebody that,
like, will look at us or fike, lip us
off cr something, we'll jump on
‘em ... bam!’’ (Nigel slams his fist
into his hand for emphasis.)

What do you get out of the vio-
fence? What does it do for you?

M: ‘‘It gives mea thrill!” :

N: ‘‘Well, like last weekend, the
UP was involved in a little brawl,
and like, everyone was hospital-
ized — eyeballs hanging out and
faces all. busted up — and _after-
wards, J went totally psycho, I
was just like Yeah, Yeah!! All of
’em were knocked’ out except for
one guy who was begging for his
life. And ¥ just started laughing.” .

M: “‘It’s a rush.’’

N: ‘‘And you can practise your
moves. Check out your spin-
kicks.”’

Did you ever think that the people
you are beating on is somebody’ 's
son? Somebody’s dad?

M: ‘‘No, not really. I guess
what goes around comes around.
We have to live with that.”

Do you guys use weapons?

M: ‘‘We've never: had a reputa-
tion for shanking...’’

N: ‘Well, I'll show you what
we carry, OK?”

(Nigel and Mark take out two
small, cleaver-like’ knives from
their pockets.)

N: ‘‘This is what we carry for

pure protection only, for walking
down the street.’’

M: “I also have a police scan-
ner, so if | heer, ‘There’s 40 kids
at Mohawk,’ Pf! know not to go
near there. I’d get dummied so
fast.” ‘

When I was a teenager, 10 to 13
years ago, it. wasn’t like this. 1
mean, we were as bad as you
were, minus: the violence. Why do

you think kids today are so vio-~

lent?

N: ‘All the kids that are getting '
into gang stuff, it’s probably from.

like, watching movies and stuff.
My dad’s friends. are all Hell’s
Angels and he used to drink and
smoke pot, so I- guess I learned
from watching him.”’

M: “‘But it’s not gangs like Al
Capone or anything.”’

“The thing about: gangs, is,
they’re really just friends. All
gangs are just friends,”’

Do you think gangs are a threat to
the general community?

M: ‘Basically,’ some are, but
not us, I'don’t think. But my.dad
who lives two blocks from here,
when he wants to walk to the
store, I’m like ‘Take the car! Také
the car!’ I don’t want him walking
around at night.’’.

What kind of crimes. have you
been charged with? .
M:

three times; theft under $1,000
three times, assault causing bodily

“DPve been charged with :
possession of prohibited weapons °

ARE YOU a victim of crime?

There are people who can

help you.
%% The Victims of Crime fine,
1-800-563-0808 (8:30 a.m. to
7:30 p.m. Monday to Friday)
provides information .and
referrals ta victims of crime
all across B.C.
& The Victim/Witness Service
line, 665-2187 (24 hours) pro-
vides people with a variety of
help: updates on an ongoing
case, a report-line for crimes,
Or just someone to talk to.
Helping Hands:
@ North Shore Crisis Line,
987-3374 (24 hours)... -
@ Teen Crisis Line, 462-7900
(24 hours). Someone to talk
to, run by Missicen ‘Communi-
ty ‘Services. oan
Drop-in Centres: ‘ .
' Drop-in centres offer activ
ities such as hackey, billiards,
snowboard and ski: trips, .
basketball, and . rock-climb-
ing, as well as free counsel-
ling and goal- Planning with
youth workers.

Centres are open most
evenings, including Friday
and Saturday nights. Phone
for specific times.
®@ recCentre William Griffi in
851 West Queens: Rd. . ‘
983-6538 ‘
® Seymour Youth Centre |.
2425 Mount Seymour Pkwy.
929-3466
@ North Shoré Neighbour-
hood House... :

225 East 2nd St. : ie
987-8138 |
© Deep Cove/Dollarton
Community Place |
1204 Caledonia
Drop-ins held at Myrtle Park |
929-0413 :

i.

harm, assault, assault, assault... ia
And what happened? -

M: “Usually I get a conditional
discharge, or community. -hours
with ‘probation.: And I never do
the community hours, Never.!’"”.

N: “I’ve had theft over. $1,000,
assault causing bodily harm, B
and E, ‘almost got charged’ with
attempted | murder, almost | sexual ‘
~ assault. That’s all.” - '
Where is all. this going to’ lead a
you? Do- you. think: about | your :
future? :
2 Me “(Laughing) Probably “10. .
_ Jail or shot or something! No, 1’m —
not in school right now, | dropped
out in Grade 9. But it is important
to get an education. But personal-

ly? I'd want to be like Scarface.”

N. Van teachers set for strike action

NVTA votes 81% in favor of walking. out, to back contract demands _

NORTH VANCOUVER
teachers are set for strike
action. Tuesday, April 13,
following a vote taken on
Wednesday, April 7.

By Anna Narie D’Angelo
News Reporter

Members of the Nerth . Van-
couver Teachers’ | Association
(NVTA) voted 81% in favor of
strike action to back contract de-
mands with the North Vancouver

District 44 School Board (NVSB).

According to an NVTA press
release, 72-hour strike notice was
issued to the NVSB on Thursday
morning.

_ Planned job action doesn’t in-

clude school closures, but the
association doesn’t state what ac-
tion will take place.

But NVSB_ superintendent
Robin Brayne and NVSB chair-
man Don Bell were beth unaware
of a strike’ notice when contacted
by the News Thursday morning.

Said Bell, ‘I think it must be
very frustrating for the teachers’
union leadership in B.C., where
they had - expectations with a
change in provincial government
to the NDP,

"I think they believed they were

going to see a lot more resources ;
- made available to them to realize
‘some of their bargaining objec-

tives,

increased money. And, in fact, in

North Vancouver, we have had a

“*The reality is we have not had

a6. The reality is we have not had
- increased: money.99 -

net decrease,’’ said Bell. .
Bell said negotiations were held
on the day. the strike vote was
taken. -He said the vote appears*to
be part of a bargaining strategy.
The News was unable to contact

“NVTA president Linda Watson to

press time.

North Vancouver teachers have
been without a contract since June
30, 1992. :

The.NVTA claims the school
board is. demanding .concessions

* annually without benefits.

— NVSB chairinan Don Bell |

on. class-size and on provisions’
for special-education - aides,”
counsellors, teacher-librarians and
learning-assistance teachers.

District 44 teachers are currently
paid between $30,856 and $66,328
They
currently work 187 days per year.
Five of those days are professional
or non-teaching days.

Meanwhile, teachers in’ West
Vancouver reached ‘a collective
agreement in February. -