If you see a sneaker hanging from a thread in the street, this is what it really symbolizes | April 9, 2025

Have you ever wondered why some sneakers hang from electrical wires in the streets? This phenomenon, far from trivial, is intriguing and gives rise to numerous interpretations. Is it a simple game, a tribute, or a coded message? This symbol, visible in many cities around the world, hides much deeper meanings than it seems.
A mysterious tradition: where does this phenomenon come from?
This phenomenon, known as “shoefiti” (a contraction of shoe for footwear and graffiti for urban art), began in the United States in the 1970s before spreading elsewhere. But why throw sneakers in the air to hang them from electrical wires? The reasons vary depending on the location and cultural context.

While in some areas it may be just a joke or a ritual among young people, elsewhere these hanging shoes can have much more serious connotations, ranging from territorial marking to a coded message.

A territorial marking of gangs
In some sensitive neighborhoods, these shoes are used as a symbol of territory by gangs or criminal groups. They can indicate several things: