How/when did the reference of cops-->pigs originate?

gopunk

Lifer
Jul 7, 2001
29,239
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The term "pig" has been used throughout the twentieth century to denote persons in positions of power and authority who have demonstrated tendencies to abuse those positions. Wealthy industrialists of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries were often depicted in political cartoons as pigs or with porcine qualities. If you have read the Goerge Orwell novel Animal Farm, you will recall that pigs acquired dominance over the other animals in the barnyard and proceeded to abuse their authority. The term "fascist pig" seems to have originated with the "beat generation" of the 1950s, but may date back to the American Communist movement of the 1930s. The specific reference to police officers as "pigs" appears to date from the 1960s.

http://www.terraplanepub.com/century10.htm
 

b0mbrman

Lifer
Jun 1, 2001
29,470
1
81


<< From the Simpsons because Chief Wiggum looks like a pig. >>


"He calls me Chief Piggum :("
 

Skyclad1uhm1

Lifer
Aug 10, 2001
11,383
87
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I presume it's from either a Jewish or an Islamic background, where pigs are seen as filth. A criminal doesn't want to see himself as being on the bad group, so he will think of nasty names for the other side. The names that sound bad but can be used without immediately being locked up will stay, and gain in popularity. Once a journalist picks up the name and uses it in a story about criminals it takes on a life of its own.

Edit: If it was used for others before that it may originate from the same source, but have been picked as 'just another bad name' for cops later on.
 

I'm not sure about the origins of 'pigs' but I know that the word 'cops' originated as an acronym for the words Constable On Patrol. From Ireland or Scotland or England, i'm not sure which.
 

toant103

Lifer
Jul 21, 2001
10,514
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i you see a police giving out a ticket and you start yelling "PIGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGY" can he do anything to you?

 

phlashphire

Golden Member
Jun 6, 2000
1,055
0
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<< i you see a police giving out a ticket and you start yelling "PIGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGY" can he do anything to you? >>


Isn't that like verbal assault or something? Doubt they can actually do anything to you but I'd bet some of them wouldn't hesitate to club ya...
 

Nitemare

Lifer
Feb 8, 2001
35,461
4
81
Squeal like a pig fat boy....

my guess would be since they carried guns and guns were made of pigiron...hence the name pig from their piece
 

XMan

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
12,513
49
91


<< The specific reference to police officers as "pigs" appears to date from the 1960s. >>



Yeah, that's what I remember from history class, too.