About 300 Hells Angels and supporters marked their 40th anniversary in B.C. Saturday with a party featuring a live heavy metal band at the Langley acreage that the White Rock chapter calls home.
Staff Sgt. Lindsey Houghton, of the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit, said the party may well be the biggest event the Hells Angels has ever held in B.C.
There were also dozens of police specialists from across Canada on scene to gather intelligence on the biker gang, which is linked to dozens of crimes in recent years.
“We have representatives from multiple chapters in Alberta, Ontario and every single chapter from Quebec, which is actually quite rare for a B.C. event,” Houghton said as Harley-riding Angels rode into the compound on 61st Avenue near 216 Street in Langley.
“The original Hells Angels here in British Columbia have all arrived. There’s probably close to 300 Hells Angels, and some of their support club members, in the event right now.”
Rick Ciarniello, long-time spokesman and original Angel, arrived just after 4 p.m. and was greeted with hugs and handshakes.
“They are sort of put on a pedestal and revered by the Hells Angels here. And we’ve been told that they’ll be receiving their 40th anniversary pins today. So, they’ll undoubtedly be proudly sporting those on their cuts,” Houghton said, referring to the leather vests featuring the three-piece patch signifying full membership in the club.
Houghton said that on Friday, bikers gathered at various clubhouses across the Lower Mainland to celebrate the historic weekend.
“It wasn’t necessarily without incident. We had to seize one Hells Angels member’s bike for some stunting and dangerous driving, which is unfortunate,” Houghton said.
So why such a large police presence at the bikers’ anniversary party?
“It’s important for us to be here because the Hells Angels for the last 40 years have been at the centre of the organized crime landscape in British Columbia. And there are few communities in British Columbia that haven’t been touched by the violence and the drug dealing and their criminal activities. We currently have several Hells Angels in jail for very significant and serious criminal offences,” Houghton said.
“They’ve done a very good job over the last 40 years of manicuring their image to get sympathy from the public. And for us, it’s important to demystify that and remind the public that the Hells Angels members aren’t just a bunch of nice motorcycle riders.”
The event also allows police to get up-to-date intelligence on both the Hells Angels and their support or “puppet clubs” like the Devil’s Army from Campbell River, the Langford Savages, the Fort Langley Street Reapers and the Horsemen.
“These events are always important for us to see what members of the Hells Angels have moved up the ranks and whether they’ve received different rockers or patches,” he said.
They can also see “the movement of the support clubs up – where they go from a one-piece patch to a two piece or a two piece to a three piece. That’s very important in the motorcycle gang landscape for us to be able to keep tabs on.”
Throughout the day, police took photos and videos as people arrived at the gate of the clubhouse, which had a screen covering it so no one could see inside. And Hells Angels took photos and video of the police officers present, as well as the media.
Houghton noted the puppet clubs were assigned menial tasks for the party. They could be seen on gate duty, parking cars and carrying food and supplies into the event. A large helium balloon truck pulled into the driveway mid-afternoon.
While some chapters arrived together on Harleys — like B.C.’s elite Nomads and a large group from Quebec — other Hells Angels came in Ubers and taxis or were dropped off.
A neighbour across the street from the clubhouse sat on her porch and watched the spectacle.
“I’ve never seen it so big before,” she said.
Notes from watching the Langley compound:
11 a.m. A few Hells Angels have arrived on their Harleys and in vehicles to the White Rock clubhouse. The front gate is covered by fabric to screen the compound from curious passers by and no doubt the police.
A band on the Langley property has been warming up. Two bikers just placed AFFA banners on other side of the driveway. AFFA stands for Angels Forever, Forever Angels.
12:30 p.m. Dozens more Hells Angels have arrived at the clubhouse in Langley. Every time the gate opens, we can see inside.
The main building is right off 61st Avenue at the north side of the five-acre property. There are tents set up inside. Kids can be seen among those celebrating four decades of the notorious gang in B.C.
I saw a large contingent of Alberta Hells Angels in the parking lot of the Travelodge on Fraser Highway earlier.
The Langford Savages are on gate duty. They are one of the Hells Angels puppet or support clubs who get stuck doing a lot of the work at major events like this.
2 p.m. One full-patch member walked across to where the police are standing and demanded to know: “Who’s in charge?” Then he told officers that there would be shuttle buses to get partiers to and from the event – in other words, they won’t have impaired drivers leaving the event.
3 p.m. A large group of Ontario Hells Angels just arrived from the east on 61st Avenue. B.C. has 10 Hells Angels chapters and more than 120 full-patch members.
5:40 p.m. Packing it in here soon on 61st Avenue in Langley. The Hells Angels, friends and supporters are all inside where the formal events appear to be underway. Most interactions between police the Hells Angels have been cordial, some even friendly. But after the large groups arrived, a few bikers mouthed off as they walked past police photographing the clubhouse entrance.
