Hell hath no fury like a skinhead scorned

ROBERT KITCHIN/The Dominion Post

TAKE IT EASY: Police yesterday kept a close eye on Wellington Hells Angels members, who have angered Nelson skinheads by staying at a local beachside suburb.

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Hells Angels gang members have descended on a beach suburb in Nelson despite threats of violence from a rival skinheads group.

About 20 Hells Angels arrived from Wellington after passing through police checkpoints on both sides of Cook Strait. Several were fined for traffic infringements.

The trip is to mark the first anniversary of a public outing in Nelson by patched members of the Red Devils, a front gang for the Hells Angels.

The group was also supposed to take part in a charity bike ride this weekend, but that is now unlikely after several hotels and the charity beneficiary, St John's ambulance in Nelson, refused to take part.

Their withdrawals followed a warning from the alleged leader of the little known Southern Skinheads, who said the Hells Angels were not welcome in Nelson because they would bring the drug P with them.

"We will burn any pub they drink at, any motel they stay at, and may take it to the extent we will probably try to shoot them off their motorbikes," Southern Skinheads leader "Max" said on radio this week.

Last night the Hells Angels members were staying at a motel at Tahunanui Beach, but declined to speak to media.

Nelson police said they would be out in force at the weekend.

"The important thing is that people are safe to go about their business and shouldn't be intimidated by the gang presence," said Senior Sergeant Grant Andrews, of Motueka.

Andrews is heading Operation Joker 2, which will police the gang presence over the weekend. Police had to take the skinheads threat seriously to ensure the safety of the public, he said.

"We are prepared for anything that might eventuate but they may just lay low and stay where they are."

The Nelson City Council has passed a resolution advising the police of its "grave concern" about the threats made publicly to burn Nelson hotels and motels, and to shoot people on motorbikes.

At the Wellington Interisland ferry terminal yesterday morning 20 to 30 police, including members of the armed offenders squad, checked about 20 Hells Angels boarding the ferry.

One was arrested for possessing a small amount of cannabis and over thousands of dollars of unpaid fines.

- © Fairfax NZ News