TWO UK police forces have gone to the lengths of cancelling its staff’s spring holidays in anticipation of a huge ride out from London to Brighton to mark the infamous Hells Angels 50th anniversary.
Meanwhile, courts in the Netherlands have banned the club altogether due to a spree of criminal incidents across the country.
As many as 3,000 bikers are expected to take part in the UK rally, which will ride through East Surrey for a three-day event in honour of the California-based motorcycle club setting up its first branch in the UK.
The club – which became notorious during 1960s America for violence and organised crime – has planned a number of events, beginning with a ride out from the A23 at Pease Pottage to the Brighton seafront on Saturday June 1.
Not everyone is anticipating the anniversary so fondly though with the Telegraph reporting that both Surrey Police and Sussex Police are going to the lengths of cancelling the holiday leave of its staff to ensure it has the numbers to handle any potential anti-social behaviour.
“In the interests of public safety, police outriders will accompany the convoy and temporarily hold traffic at key points to keep them together and try to minimise the overall impact on other road users.
“Officers from both Surrey Police and Sussex Police have had leave and rest days cancelled and, as well as local teams, we will have additional support from other forces so you can expect to see high numbers of police out on patrol responding quickly to any incidents.”
Though the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club is no longer as notorious as it was in its origins days when – after being established in 1948 in San Bernardino – it became known the world over for its involvement in drugs, violence and the trafficking of stolen goods, it is still regarded as an ‘international crime syndicate’ by the U.S. government.
The cautiousness in the UK comes on the day the Netherlands went as far as banning the club outright from its nation, citing its track record for crime and ‘hundreds of incidents’ the police were dealing with.
It is understood to be the first time the ‘HAMC’ has been formally banned in any country.
“The violence is often so serious and causes so much social unrest that it can be considered in contravention of social order,” the District Court in the city of ruled, according toReuters.
