'Not just bike rides for fun,' B.C. anti

'Not just bike rides for fun,' B.C. anti-gang police say ahead of Nelson outlaw motorcycle gang presence

Experts say residents should be aware, but not assume there is an immediate threat

Nelson police are warning residents to expect more than 50 outlaw motorcycle gang members in and around the city this weekend.

In a Facebook post, the Nelson Police Department said members from numerous clubs and chapters are expected in the community and on area highways from Friday to Sunday.

Police said they will have a high visibility presence throughout the area and are working with other law enforcement and intelligence agencies to co-ordinate their response.

“These are not just bike rides for fun. Behind the scenes, the story is completely different,” Sangha said. “This is to show off their power in the area.”

Sgt. Sarbjit Sangha, a spokesperson for the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit of B.C. (CFSEU), said outlaw motorcycle gang rides are not the same as regular motorcycle club gatherings.

“Outlaw motorcycle gangs, they are criminal organizations,” Sangha said.

Sangha said police often watch for offences such as dangerous driving, drug possession, drug trafficking and firearm possession during similar rides.

The RCMP says outlaw motorcycle gangs operate across Canada, with support clubs used in drug trafficking, violence and intimidation.

Sangha said CFSEU is aware of the ride taking place in the Kootenay region, including the Nelson area. She said her unit supports local police through intelligence gathering, intelligence sharing and specialized enforcement resources when required.

Sangha said the presence of outlaw motorcycle gang members does not automatically mean residents are in danger.

“We can’t generalize the statement that there’s risk to the public,” she said. “That is the reason the policing partners, including us, we work together to prepare to make sure the public safety is maintained.”

Dr. Marta-Marika Urbanik, an associate professor of criminology and sociology at the University of Alberta, said the fact police are publicly warning people suggests they have intelligence about the gathering and are preparing for it.

“Seeing the presence of bikers like this can be very intimidating to many people,” Urbanik said.

Urbanik studies gangs, criminal organizations, violence and neighbourhoods. She said gatherings involving different clubs or chapters can have different purposes, including socializing, internal planning or operational discussions.

“For the most part, statistically, bikers tend to be really focused on their operations and on profits,” Urbanik said. “They do not generally bring large levels of violence that put members of the public at extreme risk.”

Urbanik said that does not mean there are no public safety concerns when a large number of people linked to organized crime groups gather in one community. But she said the public nature of the police warning makes major violence less likely in this case.

Nelson police are asking anyone who sees suspicious or criminal activity to call the department’s complaint line at 250-354-3919, or 911 for crimes in progress or immediate public safety concerns.

But Urbanik said the fact police are talking about the gathering before it happens is itself important.

Police would not typically warn the wider public in advance, she said, if they believed a gathering was likely to lead to organized crime violence.

Amber Wang is an award-winning video journalist and filmmaker in CBC's Cranbrook bureau with a background in documentary storytelling. Prior to joining CBC News, she worked for BBC World Service, focusing on visually driven narratives. You can contact her at amber.wang@cbc.ca.