Biker raid in NRW Hundreds of police conduct raid against Hells Angels

More than 700 police were deployed in a massive raid on Hells Angels across the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. Police enforce ban on two groups, citing potential for violence.

It began just after six o’clock in the morning in the town of Erkrath. Special forces raided twelve apartments and club facilities of the so-called “Rocker” or biker scene. The purpose of the police visit was to enforce a ban against the local Hells Angels group “Concrete City” and supporting organization “Clan 81”.

A police spokesperson said they had come to notify the organizations personally and with written orders that their groups had been officially banned. North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) Interior Minister Herbert Reul justified the action by saying that members of the groups had been proven to be involved in criminal activity. Their everyday life consisted of violence, weapons, drugs and forced prostitution. He said the constitutional state would not permit the existence of a parallel society where its authority was disregarded.

16 cities, 50 properties, 700 police

Police searched 50 different properties in 16 NRW cities: Erkrath, Wülfrath, Düsseldorf, Ratingen, Wuppertal, Köln, Leverkusen, Bergheim, Neuss, Pulheim, Kevelaer, Goch, Rösrath, Heiligenhaus, Krefeld and Warendorf. Computers, hard drives, gambling machines, nine motorcycles and other belongings were confiscated.

The ban applies only to Hells Angels group “Concrete City” and supporting organization “Clan 81 Germany”, and not to other Hells Angels groups. In NRW, there are currently 15 Hells Angels clubs, according to information obtained from the LKA (Bureau of Criminal Investigation). With 307 members, they are the third largest biker group in the country. The “Bandidos” are the largest group with 890 members and there are a total of 2,166 biker group members overall.

An LKA report spells out their high potential for violence, both in terms of planned confrontations and spontaneous violent acts. The report says that the use of weapons is likely, especially firearms.

The modest town of Erkrath became of concern to police after increasing biker activities there and several police deployments. Minister Reul said that something had to be done and that these kind of antics would not be tolerated. An attorney for the Hells Angels criticized the police raid and the confiscation of the belongings, including the motorcycles, and said he wanted to examine further legal action regarding the ban on the club. (Orig. text: Christian Schwerdtfeger, Translation: ckloep)

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