Hells Angels visibility increasing

Members of the Hells Angels were in full view over the weekend at the Thunder Bike Show 2017, where thousands of motorcycle enthusiasts gathered on the Sanair Super Speedway in Saint-pie-de-bagot, near Saint-hyacinthe. Members of provisional clubs and sympathizers of the gang were also highly visible.

Just a few weeks ago, the presence of Hells Angels apologists at the Agricultural Expo in Saint-hyacinthe caused a commotion and a kiosk selling gang-related merchandise was forced to leave.

The Thunder Bike Show 2017, which ran from Friday to Saturday, is similar to the Bike and Tattoo Show in Laval, which takes place in April. The presence of the Hells Angels at such events is not new, police say, as visibility is crucial to the gang’s brand as both a form of intimidation and a form of power. Their participation is these kinds of events both intimidate the criminal milieu and impresses the population, police say.

Police say that ever since the cancellation of the Operation Sharqc mega trial and the release of a large number of its detainees, the Angels have been trying to reassert the solidity of their group.

“They want to show that they still exist, [even] after all the legal setbacks they’ve had,” organized crime specialist André Cédilot told Radio-canada in an interview, “At the same time, it is a form of thumbing their noses at the judicial system. They are proud of the victories they’ve had before the courts recently.”

Altogether, nearly 40 bikers out of 156 accused in 2009 were released from charges in the years following Operation Sharqc.