Ladysmith Chronicle, June 23, 2015

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No easy ride between Veterans Motorcycle Club and RCMP Club claims surveillance amounts to harassment; RCMP say they have reasons for keeping an eye on bikers’ activities Craig Spence THE CHRONICLE

A representative of The Veterans Motorcycle Club says they are being unfairly targeted, to the point of harassment, by the RCMP; but the RCMP say they are concerned the club may have connections with the British Columbia chapter of the Hells Angels and may become a recruiting agent for bike gangs. The most recent encounter between the Veterans and the RCMP was a May 30 ‘poker run’ in the Ladysmith area, which drew dozens of bikers. The Veterans characterize it as a fun event and community fund-raiser; the RCMP say it drew known members of the Hells Angels and that the bikers engaged in ‘blatant’ disregard for the rules of the road. An RCMP brief printed in the June 2 edition of the Chronicle raised the ire of Bill McCasky, member and former presi-

dent of the Veteran’s Motorcycle Club. He said the report misrepresented what happened that day, and complained that the RCMP are wasting resources, harassing his club’s members with intensive surveillance of events like the poker run. The RCMP, though, are not apologetic. The Chronicle contacted Cpl. Paul McIntosh of the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit (CSFEU), which monitors gang activity in BC, to ask why police are so interested in the Veterans. McIntosh made it clear during the interview that the RCMP do not have any evidence of criminal behaviour on the part of the Veterans; what concerns the police are what they see as indications the Veterans could be associated with the Hells Angels – and that makes them a group the RCMP wants to keep an eye on. “In our eyes we’re seeing them as a potential recruiting ground for the Hells

Angels,” McIntosh said. “It’s their as- sanction, the Hells Angels would react. sociation to the Hells Angels that we’re “If it goes on long enough it will result in watching.” violence,” McIntosh explained. Some of the RCMP evidence consists He said the patch of the Veterans Moof the code contained in the trademark torcycle Club was sanctioned by the ‘patches’ motorcycle gangs like the Hells Hells Angels in Kelowna in 2009. Angels wear. To the ordinary observer Does that make the Veterans an ‘outthe patch is simply a brand, like what law’ motorcycle gang? “It doesn’t autoyou’d find on a sports jersey. matically make them an outlaw club, not Not so. The ‘three piece patch’ identi- by any means,” McIntosh said. But the fies the wearer’s club on the top; it’s RCMP believes there are conclusions logo in the centre; and its territory in the that can be drawn from the sanction. ‘rocker’ on the bottom. “The Hells Angels don’t do anything for The rocker stakes out the turf of the free,” he said. member’s chapter. The Hells Angels own So why would a motorcycle club that B.C. and take their proclamation very wants to be on the up and up associate – seriously. Nobody else can wear a three even to the extent of getting sanctioned piece patch, especially one that stakes a to wear a patch – with a club known to territorial claim, without the ‘sanction’ be heavily involved in criminal activity? of the Hells Angels, McIntosh said. McCasky confirmed the ‘powers that be’ “They ask for sanctioning to wear that did initially tell the Veterans to remove three-piece patch.” And if another gang the three-piece patch from the back or club wore a competing patch without See No Easy Ride Page 3

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