Saturday, June 11, 2016

Hells Angels return to Nova Scotia - Update

Bikers were preparing the yellow clubhouse in Musquodoboit Harbour for a party. A man mowed the lawn as a few bikers in black leather vests and tasseled helmets pulled up in front of the wide front porch. A man in a red shirt ushered them into the house. A large poster on the window read: "Support Big Red Machine."
The clubhouse on Highway 7 is a GateKeepers Club, one of seven in the province. It has about 50 members. They expect up to 150 bikers, including Hells Angels and Dark Siders. Police have identified more than a dozen members of the Gate Keepers who want to 'patch-over' to the Hells Angels. The new Hells Angels chapter must have a minimum of six members and will be the only one in Atlantic Canada, according to RCMP. "Hells Angels are business people and this case, we believe they are looking to expand their criminal network" police said. It's unknown if the usual rules to become a full-patch member of the Hells Angels will apply in this case. Bacchus MC expanded into New Brunswick and they recently opened a Halifax chapter. The Hells Angels may see a need to act quickly.
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A big party is planned for this weekend in Musquodoboit Harbour that marks the return of the Hells Angels to Nova Scotia.

The Hells Angels were driven out of Nova Scotia in the early 2000s when a police operation led to most of the members being arrested. The club folded when active membership dropped below six bikers. In 2013 the Hells Angels were on their way back to Nova Scotia when they established a chapter of the Gate Keepers, a puppet club. Those Gate Keepers are expected to "patch over" this weekend and start on the path to becoming full-fledged Hells Angels.

Police remove the Hells Angels sign at their clubhouse in Fairview

A biker wearing colours in Halifax Aug. 27, 2015.
The expansion of the Gate Keepers to six chapters is part of a revival of Hells Angel's influence in Nova Scotia. This weekend's patch over is believed to be the brainchild of David "Hammer" MacDonald.

David "Hammer" MacDonald used to be a member of the Outlaws. He then patched over to become a Bandido member before he became a Hells Angels member in North Toronto. They moved six members from North Toronto to London and opened the London chapter in the mid 2000s.

Gatekeepers aligned with the Hells Angels opened a clubhouse at 2683 Fern Lane in Halifax's north end.

It's not clear whether this weekend's celebration will mark the emergence of a full-fledged Hells Angels chapter or if the new patch members will have to serve a year's probation.

Det. Staff Sgt. Len Isnor of the Ontario Provincial Police says while some people aren't worried about the Hells Angels, they should be. "When you get a Hells Angels chapter, you're going to get a larger flow of drugs into your community," he said.

Storefront of Twisted Needs and Novelties at 181 MacLean Street in New Glasgow
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The Gate Keepers’ Halifax clubhouse on Fern Lane
The recent opening of two new Gate Keepers motorcycle club chapters in Nova Scotia is a sign of the Hells Angels’ growing interests in the province, police say. The Gate Keepers, who already had existing chapters on the Eastern Shore and South Shore and in Pictou and Kings counties, have opened shop in North Sydney and Halifax since July 2015.

The North Sydney chapter is located at 58 Tobin St. and the Halifax clubhouse is at 2683 Fern Lane.
“It’s a push by the Hells Angels to expand,” Cpl. Mike Kerr of the combined forces intelligence unit said . “Clearly, they want to show an interest in Halifax.” The building’s owner is listed as LNI Holdings Inc.

The Cape Breton clubhouse is owned by Clarence Michael Blaine Slade. RCMP have previously said they believe the Hells Angels intend to open a chapter in Nova Scotia, something that hasn’t existed since a Halifax clubhouse shut down in 2003.

The storefront of Twisted Needs and Novelties in New Glasgow
There’s been a rapid expansion of the Gate Keepers.

The first Gate Keepers chapter opened in Musquodoboit Harbour in February 2013 with 18 to 20 members. The second chapter came into existence four months later when Bridgewater’s Darksiders patched over to become Gate Keepers, which had nine members. A New Glasgow Gate Keepers chapter started with nine members in April 2015.

A chapter with six or seven members opened in Centreville, Kings County, at the end of July 2015.