No significant distinction that I can discern. One wears a white, pointed hood with eye slits, which he calls a hooded sheet. The other wears a loose pullover hood that obscures his features, which he calls a hoodie. One enjoyed significant official protection at a time in the past. The other enjoys even greater official protection now. Both rely on threats, intimidation, murder or other physical violence to achieve political ends (see Horst Wessel from the 20’s & the 30’s for another example . . . only they didn’t need sheet or hoodie, just a brown shirt). Chicano thugs wear bandanas to the same effect. Philistine (Palestinian) terrorists wear black (usually black) scarves for the same purpose. So do many of their imitators.
‘Tis a long and miserable story. The original Thugs of India were organized for a similar purpose. Look up the origin of the term ‘Assassin’ if you are of a mind. Or the Chinese Tongs; or the Boxers, or other Oriental gangs. Or Mau Mau.
But, my apologies; I unintentionally misled you with my badly phrased original remark.
I can agree with two sides of the same coin.