More than 300 members of the Hells Angels and other motorcycle clubs attended the B.C. 40th anniversary celebrations last weekend, police say.
The gathering was one of the largest, if not the largest such biker event, in the province’s history, according to Staff Sgt. Lindsey Houghton, spokesman for the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit of British Columbia (CFSEU-BC).
“They’ve all now departed,” he said. “They’ve gone back to their homes.”
The main gathering point for Hells Angels and puppet club members was the club’s White Rock Chapter clubhouse in Langley.
“The major event went well from a police perspective,” Houghton said, noting there was a significant presence from Quebec.
Bikers were also expected to be attending parties at the various Hells Angels clubhouses in Vancouver, Coquitlam, Mission and other jurisdictions where police were present.
CFSEU-BC said police were coming from across the country to assist in overseeing the festivities in support of suppressing and disrupting the outlaw motorcycle gang members’ ability to conduct activities that may put the public at risk.
Working alongside CFSEU-BC were Langley RCMP and several Lower Mainland and British Columbia RCMP detachment and municipal police agencies, bolstered by officers from the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Team, Ontario Provincial Police, Sûreté du Québec and other Canadian police agencies.
“It is well documented that many Hells Angels, members of their supporting outlaw motorcycle gangs, and friends and associates, are involved in significant levels of criminal activity, including trafficking potentially deadly fentanyl and violent offences like assaults and homicide,” Houghton said earlier.
The weekend was relatively peaceful, noted Houghton, with a few minor incidents. He said one incident occurred in a Langley restaurant where members in colours were asked to leave and refused to pay.
He said some police were involved and other Hells Angels eventually covered the bill.
The Hells Angels recently lost a B.C. battle to keep at least three clubhouse from being sold.
