Origin

The European Kindred was founded in 1998 in the Oregon Prison System by David Patrick Kennedy and another inmate residing at Eastern Oregon’s Snake River Correctional Institution. (Their official origin date is April 20, 1998 – Adolf HItler’s Birthday) While serving time for a robbery conviction, Kennedy was alarmed at be the increase in Hispanic gangs inside prison and wanted to break into the prison economic system so he decided to create a new gang.

Religious Ideology

Members of the European Kindred follow a faith called Odinism. Odinism is a Pagan religion based on Norse mythology. God, such as Thor and Odin, are worshiped, and the European heritage is celebrated.

Identifiers

Like other Aryan groups, the European Kindred exhibit the standard Aryan symbols in various manners to denote their support of white supremacy ideology. In addition to these symbols, their tattoos usually display the initials “EK” in a shield to indicate set affiliation. See the gallery for examples of tattoos worn by members of the European Kindred.

Colors: White – represents the white race, black – represents night, red: represents blood

Slogan: “Through the Blood of Night, We are the Light”

Flag: EK shield on a red and black background

Characteristics

They have a propensity for violence and are one of the most powerful gangs in the Oregon Department of Corrections. The European Kindred is known for moving contraband goods, mainly tobacco and drugs, through correctional institutions. They often recruit new members from prisons, the streets, and high schools. Criminal activity in their gang is driven by money, drugs, and racism. They are highly organized under a rigid chain of command and very strict rules. Relationships with blacks are not allowed. Members follow a list of written policies from mandatory workouts because the group is “in a state of war,” as well as a required reading list that includes Patrick Buchanan and Sun Tzu. They are an exclusively male organization but female associates are given a shield with the initial FW inside (F is for feather, prison slang for female, and W is for wood, prison slang for white).

GALLERY