Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs
Both the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Criminal Intelligence Service Canada have designated four MCs as Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs (OMGs), which are the Pagans, Hells Angels, Outlaws MC, and Bandidos, known as the "Big Four". These four have a large enough national impact for the attempt to be prosecuted under the Federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations statute. The California Attorney General also lists the Mongols as an outlaw motorcycle gang. The FBI asserts that OMGs support themselves primarily through drug dealing, trafficking in stolen goods, and extortion, and that they fight over territory and the illegal drug trade. Of course some will say that these accusations are as real as the “Sons of Anarchy” television series on FX.The Royal Canadian Mounted Police Gazette, quoting from the Provincial Court of Manitoba, defines these groups as: "Any group of motorcycle enthusiasts who have voluntarily made a commitment to band together and abide by their organizations' rigorous rules enforced by violence, who engage in activities that bring them and their club into serious conflict with society and the law". In Australia on the other hand a law almost passed that would have allowed police to seek court orders stopping gang members from associating with each other. But a member of the Hell's Angels challenged the law on the grounds that it curtailed individual liberties. Click here to see the full article dated June 2011 >>
The FBI asserts that OMG's collect $1 billion in illegal income annually and that street gangs, prison gangs, and OMGs are the primary retail distributors of illegal drugs in the US, with OMGs dominating US meth trade distribution. In 1985 a three-year, eleven-state FBI operation named Roughrider culminated in the largest OMG bust in history, with the confiscation of $2 million worth of illegal drugs, as well as an illegal arsenal of weapons, ranging from Uzi submachine guns to antitank weapons. In October of 2008, the FBI announced the end of a 6-month undercover operation by agents into the narcotics trafficking by a South California based Motorcycle Gang. The bust went down with 160 search warrants and 110 arrest warrants. The Latino gang was formed due to the Hell's Angels refusal to admit Hispanics, was named after the Asian warriors, and it is believed that it has had chapters become subject to rule by the Mexican Mafia prison gang. Reports say many Mongols were admitted from lesser Mexican Mafia controlled street gangs even without motorcycles, to assist in the drug trade between Mexico, California, and Canada.
Canada, especially, has in the past two decades experienced a significant upsurge in crime involving outlaw motorcycle gangs, most notably in what has been dubbed the Quebec Biker war, which has involved more than 150 murders (plus a young bystander killed by an exploding car bomb), 84 bombings, and 130 cases of arson. The increased violence in Canada has been attributed to turf wars over the illegal drug trafficking business, specifically relating to access to the Port of Montreal, but also as the Hells Angels have sought to obtain control of the street level trade from other rival and/or independent gangs in various regions of Canada. Members and supporters of these clubs insist that illegal activities are isolated occurrences and not supported by the club, that they, as a whole, are not criminal organizations.
They often compare themselves to police departments, wherein the occasional "bad cop" does not make a police department a criminal organization. One biker website has a news section devoted to "cops gone bad" to support their point of view, and the Hells Angels sponsors charitable events for Toys for Tots.
Relationships between Motorcycle Clubs
In the United States, many MCs have established statewide MC confederations. These confederations are composed of MCs who have chapters in the state, and the occasional interested third party organization. The confederation holds periodic meetings on neutral ground, wherein representatives from each club (usually the presidents and vice-presidents, but not always) meet in closed session to resolve disputes between clubs and discuss issues of common interest.
It is believed that he largest one-percent club tends to dominate the confederation, using their numbers to impose their will on other clubs. Sometimes clubs are forced into, or willingly accept, "support" roles for a one-percent club. Smaller 1% or motorcycle clubs who resist a large one-percent club have been forcibly disbanded, e.g. told to hand over their colors or risk war.
With the exception of Law Enforcement Clubs smaller clubs usually comply, since members of a family club are usually unwilling to risk injury or worse. Another tactic used by one-percent clubs is to force smaller clubs to join the AMA and wear an AMA patch. This is considered an act of shame by some clubs, and a club thus forced may wear an upside-down AMA patch on their colors as a form of protest and to retain their dignity.Certain large one-percent MCs are rivals with each other and will fight over territory and other issues. In 2002, members of the Mongols MC and the Hells Angels MC had a confrontation in Laughlin, Nevada at the Harrah's Laughlin Casino that left three bikers dead. Another melee, this time between the Hells Angels and the Pagans MC, in February 2002 at a Hells Angels convention in Long Island, New York. Police reports indicate the Pagans were outraged that the event was held on what they considered their "home turf".
The local COC (Coalition of Clubs) has eliminated most of the inter-club rivalry. Club members tend to be older veterans, and given the cost of ownership of a Harley Dresser type motorcycle, increasingly well to do.
The "big 4" national 1% clubs tend to be territorial. Smaller clubs are allowed to form with the permission of the dominant regional club. Smaller clubs will usually be required to wear a "support" patch on their vests that shows their support for the dominant regional. Certain clubs are exempt from this requirement; such as the police clubs ("Blue Knights") as well as the national "military only" clubs like the "US Military Vets MC".
Certain organizations also sponsor clubs such as "HOG" (Harley Owners Group) and CMA (Christian Motorcycle Association). These are not considered motorcycle clubs and can be easily differentiated from "real" clubs by the lack of "MC" (Motorcycle Club) on the back of their vests. When a bar or other establishment posts a "No Colors" sign, it is believed that they are specifically targeting people with the "MC" letters on the vest, however anyone wearing a motorcycle back patch will not be allowed in.
The incidence of drug dealing and illegal activities in the vast majority of MC's, mirrors the percentage of criminal behavior in society as a whole. Most clubs are organized as a 501c charitable organization and provide money and support to a variety of charities. Typical events include "poker runs", “toy-runs” and '50-50' raffles where a portion of the proceeds are donated to the clubs designated cause. Additionally the clubs provide support services and maintenance for members in the form of trailers, tools, etc.
The clubs also stress safety and rider skills. Most will have a "road captain" that is responsible for safe riding. The members will generally have a pre-run safety check where required equipment, tires, etc are checked. This is both, for member safety and prevents giving the police any justification for stopping the pack. Most states have special provisions for "Funerals and Other Processions" that allow the pack as a whole to go through a signal light as long as the first bike entered the intersection legally under the green. Packs tend to ride "high & tight" to prevent other vehicles from attempting to 'bull' into the pack. This type of behavior by a cage (car) is extremely dangerous to a pack and happens quite often, especially in larger runs (20+ bikes). Organized runs with large numbers will usually include "road guard" bikes who's responsibility is to block intersections and roads to allow the pack to enter/exit the highway or turn as a unit.
Biker clubs have long initiations and many 'team building” exercises to foster trust and confidence between members. Someone that has marginal riding skills will be relegated to the back of the pack until their skills are such that they are capable of riding without the risk of 'bumping pegs' with the other riders. Contrary to popular myth, most clubs don't imbibe large amounts of alcohol until the end of the run.
Motorcycle clubs in popular culture
Part of the mystique surrounding MCs has been driven by books, movies and television, beginning with the so-called Hollister riot in 1947, about which two articles appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle, and another in Life Magazine featuring a large staged photograph of an intoxicated subject on a motorcycle parked in a bar.A series of biker movies followed, beginning with The Wild One, starring Marlon Brando, and culminating with the award-winning Easy Rider, with its iconic Captain America chopper. Many of these were B movies, a staple of 1960s drive-in theaters. In 1966, Hunter S. Thompson (who later started the movement known as gonzo journalism) wrote Hell's Angels: The Strange and Terrible Saga of the Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs, giving readers their first inside glimpse into the most notorious motorcycle club of all.
The 1969 Altamont Free Concert incident thrust the Hells Angels front and center for the killing of a concert-goer by a Hells Angels member, Alan Passaro, who was, along with other club members, by some reports, providing security for the Rolling Stones at the event. Meredith Hunter, was stabbed multiple times by Passaro and other Hells Angels members. Film evidence later showed that Meredith Hunter was holding a gun. Passaro was charged with murder but was later found to be acting in self-defense and acquitted.Courtesy of www.baboontalk.com
Since Hunter S. Thompson's ground-breaking book, more books have followed, including former Angels president Sonny Barger's, Hell's Angel: The Life and Times of Sonny Barger and the Hell's Angels Motorcycle Club, and, more recently, Edward Winterhalder's account of the Bandidos, Out In Bad Standings; Inside The Bandidos Motorcycle Club. I have to take a few words and point out that, when it comes to books written about Motorcycle Clubs by ex-members and non-members, there is a possibility that not all the accounts are accurate. There are always two sides to a story. William Queen‘s “Under and Alone: The True Story of the Undercover Agent Who Infiltrated America’s Most Violent Outlaw Motorcycle Gang” is another well-known book on the subject.
The Discovery and History Channel has featured looks inside several MCs. The film “Beyond the Law” is based on the true story of Dan Black, an undercover officer who infiltrated a one-percenter MC. The 2007 Disney film Wild Hogs tells the story of four friends who have an encounter with the fictional Del Fuegos MC. The original script used the Hells Angels, causing the Hells Angels to sue Disney for trademark infringement.
The new FX television series Sons Of Anarchy follows the exploits of the fictional outlaw motorcycle club SAMCRO, or Sons of Anarchy Motorcycle Club Redwood Original.
Ride to Hell is an upcoming video game, set on the West Coast in the 1960s, where the player will live and fight in the early years of the outlaw motorcycle clubs' underworld.
See also the following links
• List of motorcycle clubsReferences
1. AMA Newsroom: Facts and Figures, retrieved September 10, 20072. Motorcycle Club Index, retrieved September 25, 2007
3. 1% - Example of Bylaws- Motorcycle Club and Riding Club Education]
4. Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs- OZBiker.org
5. Gangs in Maryland- University of Maryland
6. Outlaw Motorcycle Groups- Laurier College
7. Dozens of outlaw bikers arrested in ATF sting- MSNBC.com, Oct 21, 2008
8. Five charged in murders of eight Bandidos bikers- CTV.ca, June 10, 2006, Retrieved October 10, 2007
9. The United States Court of Appeals For the Seventh Circuit, Case Nos. 95-2829 and 95-2879; UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. JOHN E. IRVIN and THOMAS E. PASTOR, Defendants-Appellants
10. Dougherty, C.I. (1947-07-05). "Motorcyclists Take Over Town, Many Injured", San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved on 24 October 2007.
11. Dougherty, C.I. (1947-07-06). "2000 'Gypsy Cycles' Chug Out of Town and the Natives Sigh 'Never Again'", San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved on 24 October 2007.
12. Hell's Angel: The Life and Times of Ralph "Sonny" Barger and the Hell's Angels Motorcycle Club
13. AMA Newsroom: Facts and Figures, retrieved September 10, 2007
14. Motorcycle Club Index, retrieved September 25, 2007
15. The Rebels: A Brotherhood of Outlaw Bikers, by Daniel R. Wolf, University of Toronto Press, 1991
16. FBI Safe Street Violent Crime Initiative - Report Fiscal Year 2000- FBI.org
17. 2004 Annual Report- Criminal Intelligence Service Canada, cisc.gc.ca
18. Motorcycle Gangs- Connecticut Gang Investigators Association
19. 2004 Annual Report- Criminal Intelligence Service Canada (CISC), cisc.gc.ca
20. Organized Crime in California - 2004 Annual Report to the Legislature- California Department of Justice
21. Dozens of outlaw bikers arrested in ATF sting- MSBNC.com, October 21, 2008
22. Organized Crime Investigation- by T. O'Connor, Austin PEA State University
23. Organized Crime Fact Sheet- Public Safety Canada
24. The Hells Angels' Devilish Business- CNN.com, November 30, 1992
25. Biker Gangs in Canada- CBC News, April 5, 2007
26. Narcotics Digest, Gangs In The United States- the National Gang Center
27. Comprehensively Combating Methamphetamine: Impact on Health and the Environment- DEA Deputy Chief Joseph Rannazzisi, congressional testimony on October 20, 2005
28. The Hells Angels' Devilish Business- by Andrew E. Serwer, Fortune Magazine, November 30, 1992
29. Sonny Barger Kicks Starts Life as a Free Man by Violating Parole- by Philip Martin, Phoenix New Times, December 2, 1992.
30. Sonny Barger Kicks Starts Life as a Free Man by Violating Parole- by Philip Martin, Phoenix New Times, December 2, 1992
31. Busting Hell's Angels- Time Magazine, May 13, 1985
32. Dozens of Outlaw Bikers Arrested in ATF Sting.- MSNBC.com, October 21, 2008
33. Was Noye case witness killed by Hell's Angels?- Guardian Observer, October 15, 2000
34. Organized Crime Fact Sheet- Public Safety Canada
35. The Biker Trials: Bringing Down the Hells Angels, by Paul Cherry, ECW Press, 2005
36. Fallen Angel: The Unlikely Rise of Walter Stadnick in the Canadian Hells Angels, by Jerry Langton, Wiley & Sons, 2006
37. Cops Gone Bad- Bikernews.net
38. Storm Approaching- by Michael Jamison, The Missoulian, July 2000
39. Ex-Hells Angels official says cops kept out of club- by Adrienne Packer, Las Vegas Review-Journal, October 5, 2006
40. Laughlin Shootout: Signs told of melee in making- by Glenn Puit and Dave Berns, Las Vegas Review Journal, April 30, 2002
41. 73 Bikers Arrested- New York Times, March 13, 2002
42. Hells Angels sue Disney over film- BBC.com, March 11, 2006. HAMC vs Walt Disney
Books and Newspaper Articles
• Hayes, Bill. The Original Wild Ones: Tales of The Boozefighters Motorcycle Club, Est. 1946. St. Paul, MN: Motorbooks, 2005.
• Veno, Arthur, The Mammoth Book of Bikers, Constable & Robinson, 2007 (ISBN 0-7867-2046-8)
• Vieth, Errol, "Angels in the Media: Constructing Outlaw Motorcyclists", in Consent and Consensus, edited by Denis Cryle and Jean Hiliier, Perth, API Network, 2005, 97–116 (ISBN 1-920845-12-7).
• Winterhalder, Edward, Out in Bad Standings: Inside the Bandidos Motorcycle Club - The Making of a Worldwide Dynasty, Blockhead City Press, 2005/Seven Locks Press, 2007 (ISBN 0-9771-7470-0)
• Winterhalder, Edward, & De Clercq, Wil, The Assimilation: Rock Machine Become Bandidos – Bikers United Against the Hells Angels, ECW Press, 2008 (ISBN 1-5502-2824-2)
