Motorcycle group condemns raids
Confederation of clubs describes police treatment of motorcycle clubs as “harassment”
The Atlantic Confederation of Clubs (ACC) has condemned the actions of police in P.E.I. over the Easter weekend.
A statement released by the ACC Sunday described the raids on two Charlottetown motorcycle clubs earlier in the weekend as police harassment.
“This is yet another attempt by Mr. (RCMP Cpl. Andy) Cook to garner the spotlight on himself and to harass the Prince Edward Island motorcycle community,” said ACC chair, Stephen Wallace, in a statement to media.
“We will continue to stand by and support all of our members and will not be dictated by Mr. Cook or anyone else whom we choose to have in our confederation.”
During the same time as Saturday’s swap show at Eastlink Centre, members of the Organized Crime Task Force executed search warrants at the Charlottetown Harley Club at 352 University Ave. and a Hells Angels hangaround club at 205 Fitzroy St.
Police seized what they said was a large amount of liquor, as well as cash, drink tickets, refrigerators and other items from both clubs.
The ACC consists of members from clubs as well as independent riders and says it’s a neutral group that demands equal charter of rights applications to all the community.
The group said the police attention towards motorcycle clubs on P.E.I. is an “obvious misuse of taxpayer funds and diversion of the real social issues at hand.”
“Furthermore, we will condemn these smoke and mirror tactics for what they are, the erosion of our charter of rights as individuals and citizens of the motorcycle community,” said the statement, which ended with a quote attributed to former U.S. president Ronald Reagan.
“The price of freedom may be high, but never so costly as the loss of freedom.”