Netherlands looks to ban Hells Angels

**Bob** · 10th November 2006, 01:23

Prosecutors in The Netherlands are asking the courts to outlaw the Hells Angels on the grounds of posing a threat to public order, arguing it is a criminal organization.

Citing the notably the 2004 murder of three members at a clubhouse and 2005 police raids on clubhouses led to the arrest of 47 members for possession of illegal weapons or drugs, the National Prosecutors Office said "It's become sufficiently clear that the activities of the motorcycle club are in conflict with public order."

A parliamentary inquiry in 1995 found the Hells Angels was a criminal organization involved in the drug trade and smuggling women for prostitution, but no action was taken to ban the group. Prosecutors said that club branches had been outlawed in many countries, but that this, if successful, would be the first nationwide ban.

**Roj** · 14th November 2006, 10:20

Seems a shame that what started out with good intentions has degenerated

**MSTRS:Me** · 14th November 2006, 10:31

Originally Posted by Roj

Seems a shame that what started out with good intentions has degenerated

Bit like Dubya, eh?

**Paul in NZ** · 14th November 2006, 15:59

Originally Posted by Roj

Seems a shame that what started out with good intentions has degenerated

Are you serious? You need to read a few history books not written by S Barger...

**sunhuntin** · 16th November 2006, 20:47

Originally Posted by Paul in NZ

Are you serious? You need to read a few history books not written by S Barger...

im with roj....ive read a book written from a cops perspective, and basically it was all propaganda [?] aimed at biasing the reader against the angels. was all total bullshit.

it did start out with good intentions and went sour as it grew.
a club i hung out with while in canada started out as a bunch of guys who just wanted to ride, party and have fun. [that was the 70s] and when i left, they were almost being forced to patch over, and many of the members were gunning for it too.
last i heard the IRB is still up and running fully, with the angel pull being slackened off for some reason. i know one of my friends is dying to patch over entirely, but not sure if he has or not. and even if he did...i would not cease contact with him, or anyone that went with him.
when i met my partner, who is a long standing member of the IRB, it was at a party run by his club, to which the angels were also invited. i knew, if i got drunk and passed out, id be chucked in a tent and left to sleep it off.
back in the day, every big club was invited to their parties, and there was never any trouble cos it was neutral ground. of course, most of those clubs have been wiped out and disbanded.

id rather read barger than whoever wrote the cop book any time of day. got no beef with the angels. [much to my mothers disgust]

**Motu** · 16th November 2006, 22:02

Originally Posted by Paul in NZ

Are you serious? You need to read a few history books not written by S Barger...

I was talking to one of the original Auckland Angels yesterday,ten years older than me and he joined them in 1961.....I know a few others so we put together some names and wasted an hour.He seldom mentions he was a Hell's Angel as people just get the wrong impression,it was not like that at all....they didn't even smoke.He still has the cards they had printed up - ''You have been assisted by a member of the Hells Angels''.They used to stop and help people broken down on the side of the road.Not dope crazed thugs,just young guys hell bent on a good time.

**Lou Girardin** · 17th November 2006, 05:48

And they're all 'businessmen' now.

**slimjim** · 17th November 2006, 07:35

Originally Posted by Motu

I was talking to one of the original Auckland Angels yesterday,ten years older than me and he joined them in 1961.....I know a few others so we put together some names and wasted an hour.He seldom mentions he was a Hell's Angel as people just get the wrong impression,it was not like that at all....they didn't even smoke.He still has the cards they had printed up - ''You have been assisted by a member of the Hells Angels''.They used to stop and help people broken down on the side of the road.Not dope crazed thugs,just young guys hell bent on a good time.

"Right to Rights there matey,and some old timers are more "one to ride the river with" than any other outside knowledge, don't know what they'll like these day's, apart from staying quiet ,and yup doing well in business,

**Paul in NZ** · 17th November 2006, 07:54

Er yeah riiiighhhhhtttttt.....

All good fun when the weathers fine and yes - I've been to the parties with the lads and a fine old time it was too...

I've also been on the business end of a sawn off 12 bore and has a baseball bat rammed up my snoze by the same guys I was parting with 2 weeks earlier because they were a little nervous and strung out and good ole Paul just happened to ride into 'disputed territory' on the wrong bike (ie mine)....

Propaganda?

Cut it out.... A little research other that the book you refer to (which was very very boring) will quickly point to International motorcycle gangs = organised crime.

Oh sure - at a local level in NZ, there are still guys wearing patches that are bloody decent jokers (I deal with one on a regular basis and he has always done the business for me 100%) but the gangs in this country are a part of the wider scene.

Perhaps I'm jaded? I used to believe all that - you know the OCC / Easyriders life. I was gunna change my name to Rocky and buy a cabin in the hill with a barn where I'd build bitchin chops with my ole lady.... Then I met a couple of exec's from Easyriders Inc.... Ah! Yes.... Apparently it's not written by a guy called Spider in a garage in East LA... Christ no... Its a carefully crafted image.

Sorry - I see a bunch of guys in uniform playing storm troopers and getting a huge kick out of violence and intimidation. Dunno why they just didn't join the Police force like Mr Rickard did (pt) - oh thats right - the pays better in the gangs...

**Fryin Finn** · 17th November 2006, 08:45

Originally Posted by Bob

Prosecutors in The Netherlands are asking the courts to outlaw the Hells Angels on the grounds of posing a threat to public order, arguing it is a criminal organization.

Hell they've allways been known as outlaws - 1 percenters etc.

**Motu** · 17th November 2006, 10:30

We are talking different eras Paul - I've known a handfull of the original '60's Chapter,and some are still very good friends.They are all great blokes and have put a hell of a lot back into motorcycling,they are those kind of guys.They just wanted a hell of a lot more out of life than what was on offer in NZ in the '60's.All were well above average riders and can still show me a thing or two.

But it all started to unravel in the late '60's.....I know there was some involvment in the Basset Rd murders.As other motorcycle gangs started up the Angels had to assert their dominance as first on the block.....the original members had mostly moved on by then,but there was some overlap of course.This was my era,the early '70's,and although I was no ''bikie'',as a rider of British bikes in a certain area of the city I couldn't help but become involved in their scene.My friends were not gang members and the friendships have lasted well over 30 years.I personally saw no violence,but that is just my viewpoint.

It unravled even more in the late '70's as the ethnic gangs grew....and now the early '70's crew stepped aside too.This is when the drug involment and violence stepped up,real gang wars and lots of money involved.Now they have stepped back out of the public limelight as the stakes have got even higher,this is a hell of a lot more serious than a group of young guys having fun on bikes.Now days I can't see how anyone involved with these guys is not tainted by the misery they cause.....a far cry from the high spirits of youth....

**McJim** · 17th November 2006, 10:39

We're missing one point here - how can you ban them? All they need to do is change the patches or remove them altogether and they're no longer Hell's Angels. They can still de everyuthing they were doing before but under a different name.

Or are they just going to ban all people on cruisers with long hair.......

**Paul in NZ** · 17th November 2006, 10:42

All true Motu - the younger guys were definately spoiling for a fight all the time.. It was a tough time to ride british bikes in the mid to late 70's.

The european scene was a laugh - Jeeze - the gangs were breaking into army bases and stealing rocket launchers and all sorts.

**scumdog** · 17th November 2006, 11:12

Originally Posted by McJim

We're missing one point here - how can you ban them? All they need to do is change the patches or remove them altogether and they're no longer Hell's Angels. They can still de everyuthing they were doing before but under a different name.
.....

They already do that with the Big Red crowd a.k.a. H/A.

But can you REALLY see them totally changing their name???