Editorial: Bikies bye bye

The threats against Hells Angels bikies by "Max", the so-called leader of a hopefully defunct gang called the Southern Skinheads, were so bizarre that it was difficult to take them seriously – even if they spiced up a good few news bulletins.

Any drongo with sufficient mental capacity to use a public telephone can sound off on talkback radio without serious intent, and with little likelihood of being sprung by the authorities.

Chances are that the day after his inflammatory call to Newstalk ZB, "Max" would have awoken with a binge-induced, killer headache and little recollection of his threats to take potshots at the bikers and burn any Nelson pub or motel they patronised. His comments did have to be taken into account by police during their planning for Operation Joker 2, which diverted officers' attention from worthier pursuits during the weekend.

One line from Max's big talk and bluster is worth noting. Neither the Hells Angels nor any other crime group is wanted or welcome in Nelson – especially any which are linked with pedalling methamphetamine. The insidious drug does have some users in this province, as with anywhere else in New Zealand, but it is clearly in the community's interests to act decisively to limit its distribution and detect and shut down its manufacture and sale.

Such efforts do not include shooting bikers and burning down pubs, however. If the Southern Skinheads are real, their alleged concerns about the weekend's bikie visit are more likely motivated by patch protection than any more worthy desire.

Far greater threats to civil order than Max and his bravado came from the mere presence in the region of some 130 bikers on the Hells Angels run. Road safety issues aside, the potential for conflict between the Angels' affiliates and local motorcycle "club" the Lost Breed is real. This time, police got between the two rival groups near Mapua, presumably allowing them both to indulge in a little face-saving theatre, risk-free.

However, with the front gang for the Angels, the Red Devils, now said to have set up shop in Nelson, the threat of inter-gang violence remains. Though few from outside of the gang culture would be too concerned about straight out bikie v bikie confrontation, the main concern is that innocent people are frequently caught up when gang conflict erupts.

Lost Breed riders often claim credit for keeping the notorious, overtly criminal gangs out of our region. Regardless of how much truth there is in that, they are no "angels" either – pun intended – and members and hangers-on have had their share of run-ins with the law.

Some bikers might cling to the romantic notion that they are simply misunderstood free-spirits, riding through their mid-life crisis on powerful hogs. However, there is nothing free, admirable or remotely romantic about patched members of criminal gangs or their associates. Like the real-life skinheads, they are contemptuous of society and its rules, they try hard to cultivate an intimidatory aura, they cannot be trusted and they engage in a wide range of criminal activities. It was good news that the weekend visit was, apparently, incident-free. It would be even better if they opted not to return.

- © Fairfax NZ News