The motorcycle gang, Hells Angels, has been banned by a Dutch court on Wednesday. The Utrecht District Court ruled that “the violence is often so serious and causes so much social unrest that it can be considered in contravention of social order.” The gang has a track record of hundreds of violent crimes including killing, shooting, and drug offenses all around the Netherlands, reports Reuters.
The gang started in California in 1948 and but grew in notoriety in the 1960s. Hunter S Thompson published his book “Hell’s Angels: A Strange and Terrible Saga,” giving them their first publicity. Further fame came for them after the Rolling Stone’s hired them as security for their 1969 Altamont free concert. The Hells Angels Motorcycle Club are known for riding Harley-Davison bikes and wearing denim-and-leather outfits creating an “outlaw” image.
It is believed that this is the first time for a country to ban the Hells Angels. They are though labeled as an international crime syndicate by the US government. The gang has thousands of members in dozens of countries, but members who receive the “Filthy Few” patch are said to have committed violent offenses including murder.
The Dutch court ruling said that “the ban is needed to protect the public. It means that as of today members are no longer allowed in the Netherlands in that capacity”. The ruling can however be appealed, according to Reuters.
