Hundreds of outlaw bikers from across Canada are expected to arrive in Maple Ridge Friday, July 21 before a large gathering at a Langley clubhouse on Saturday and Sunday, anti-gang police say.
Members of the Hells Angels, and their allies and puppet clubs, have been riding through B.C. this week, in advance of a party celebrating 40 years of the gang’s presence in British Columbia.
“There’ll be a huge presence, both police and Hells Angels and their supporters,” said S/Sgt. Lindsey Houghton, a spokesperson for the B.C. Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit (CFSEU).
After passing through Vernon earlier this week, the convoy of motorcycles is expected to gather in Hope on Friday morning, and from there head down Highway 7 into Maple Ridge, where the group will gather at the Hells Angels-owned Haney Hogs location.
From there, they’ll disperse around the Lower Mainland, before gathering again for the main celebration in Langley, at the clubhouse of the White Rock Chapter, located on a large rural lot at 21764 61st Ave.
In addition, the bikers may appear in local restaurants and bars, as well as heading out to Vancouver, Coquitlam, and Mission to visit other clubhouses – where police are also likely to be present.
The crowd is likely to be large.
“We’re anticipating potentially hundreds,” said Houghton.
Bikers are coming from across B.C., Alberta, Ontario, Quebec, and other provinces.
“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,” said Houghton. “Officers from CFSEU-BC will be working with our policing partners from Langley RCMP, around the Lower Mainland, and across the country through the weekend to deter any illegal activity and ensure public safety by way of an overt police presence.”
The party itself will take place behind the gates, high fences, and hedges that block most views of the property from the road.
Police across Canada consider the Hells Angels a criminal organization, involved in drugs, weapons, and violence, and the courts in B.C. recently agreed in a case that saw three clubhouses seized by the province.
READ MORE: Hells Angels clubhouses in Kelowna, Nanaimo, and Vancouver seized by government
All three clubhouses were seized under civil forfeiture laws, which allow the province to seize property that is either the proceeds of crime, or has been used for criminal activity.
After a lengthy series of court proceedings, BC Appeal Court judges agreed that the Vancouver, Kelowna, and Nanaimo clubhouses were being used for “unlawful activity” and acted as “safe-houses” where gang members could conspire to commit crimes.
A number of Hells Angels have died violently around the Lower Mainland in recent years, including Robert Keith Green, who was shot in the head on a property in the 23700 block of 72nd Avenue in Langley on Oct. 16, 2016. Jason Francis Wallace later turned himself over to police and pleaded guilty to manslaughter. An associate of Wallace, Shaun Clary, was found dismembered in a Langley ditch just over a week later, and Integrated Homicide Investigation Team members have said they consider Clary’s murder is linked to Green’s death.
The Hells Angels have held large regional and national gatherings at the White Rock chapter clubhouse in Langley in the past, including in 2013 when it hosted a “Canada Run” event. There was a heavy police presence on site all weekend.
The Hells Angels have also used local rec centres for parties in the past, although they were banned after it came to light that their parties violated the centres’ rules in a number of ways, including by bringing in multiple exotic dancers.
READ MORE: Hells Angels barred from booking Langley rec centre after booze-fuelled stripper parties
READ MORE: EXPLAINER: After government seizures, Langley’s Hells Angels clubhouse still stands
Have a story tip? Email: matthew.claxton@langleyadvancetimes.com
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