At first glance, the map appears to depict political affiliations, but its true meaning is far more ominous. Created by West Midlands Police, it vividly illustrates how successive gangs have fractured north Birmingham, continuing bloody rivalries over territories once controlled by the notorious Burger Bar Boys and the Johnson Crew.
This map featured prominently during the latest postcode gang murder trial, shedding light on the city’s ongoing gang violence. The case involved Oumar Traore, a 17-year-old member of the Handsworth Wood ‘B20’ gang (marked in purple on the map), who was convicted of stabbing to death 19-year-old Yassin Alama, affiliated with Aston-area gangs (marked in blue), last November. Traore now faces an inevitable life sentence.
Pc Gareth Evans, an experienced gang intelligence officer since 2010, explained how these colour-coded territories and symbols—ranging from emojis on social media to specific clothing colours like shoelaces or bandanas—serve as identifiers among rival groups. This modern form of “repping” echoes infamous American gangs such as the Bloods and Crips, yet Birmingham’s gang culture is deeply rooted in local history.
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The Burger Bar Boys and Johnson Crew originated during the mid-1980s riots, initially forming to “protect” their communities. However, their legacy is one of long-standing violence that left none of north Birmingham untouched. Though both gangs have largely dissolved—with former members dead, imprisoned, dormant, or older and wiser—their violent traditions persist, now carried on by younger, more volatile factions.
These successor groups, sometimes described as splinter or offshoot gangs, roam the area fiercely loyal to their inherited turf. On the red side of postcodes like Handsworth, Hockley, and Winson Green, groups such as Armed Response (AR), Bandits, and Get Round Der (GRD) are active. Meanwhile, the blue territories of Newtown, Lozells, Aston, and Erdington are held by crews like 9Boyz, Get Money Gang (GMG), Goon Squad Army/Get Some Ambition (GSA), Get Back Gang, and 23 Drillas.
Many modern gang members likely lack awareness of the full history behind these affiliations but remain deeply engaged in the cycle of violence. Respect and status are gained through confrontations, often involving knives or guns, crossing enemy lines, and public displays of dominance on social media and drill rap videos.
The consequences are devastating. Families are torn apart, communities live in fear, and senseless deaths continue. Territorial boundaries are blurred and often illogical. For instance, victim Yassin lived in a B20 postcode but was associated with rival Aston gangs due to his home’s location east of a major flyover.
The fatal conflict that led to Yassin’s death began with his 14-year-old brother mocking the deaths of gang members on Snapchat. Traore, seeking retaliation for his cousin Sekou Doucoure (‘SK’), pursued Yassin’s sibling, filming the chase and posting it online. When Yassin confronted Traore alone and armed, a knife fight ensued in the street, ending in tragedy.
This case starkly highlights the enduring, corrosive gang culture in Birmingham, where the torch of violent territorialism is mercilessly passed to the next generation, perpetuating a cycle of fear and loss.