Riders are being asked to protest today against the state’s anti-bikie “fashion law” that prohibits the wearing of “colours” associated with outlawed “bikie” clubs.
The law was first touted in September last year and has finally come into force.
This is despite the Liberal State government saying they would never follow Queensland’s Draconian VLAD laws.
In the first weekend of the new laws, 20 to 30 riders were stopped at a road block by a dozen uniformed police with several police vehicles and plain clothes cops. All up, some 70 police.
The result? Police confiscated three knives.
“Bikie” law protest
A protest against the new laws is planned for Parliament House in Hobart from noon on Monday, 25 November 2019.
Former Australian Motorcycle Council chairman Shaun Lennard says he is “surprised to see this happen in Tasmania”.
He says he received a “direct personal assurance from Will Hodgman as Opposition Leader in 2013” that the Liberals in Tasmania would not follow (then Queensland Premier) Campbell Newman’s “failed path” if they won government.
The following Queensland Labor Government slightly watered down the laws, but there is still a “fashion police” rule that bans “bikie colours” in public because they “create fear”.
It is similar to the new Tassie rules.
Tassie cops
Tasmania Police say they will be enforcing the laws banning the wearing of insignia of five “outlaw motorcycle gangs”: Rebels, Bandidos, Outlaws, Devils Henchmen and the Black Uhlans.
This comes as interstate clubs rode into the state over the weekend.
“These are criminal gangs and their colours are designed to show affiliation with this criminality and intimidate others. The new laws don’t affect any other motorcycle clubs,” police media says.
“Our community can be assured there’ll be a strong police presence actively monitoring the activities of outlaw motorcycle gang members while they’re here.
“This will include vehicle checks, targeted drug and alcohol testing, monitoring for anti-social and criminal behaviour and traffic operations.
“Tasmania Police has rostered on a significant number of additional officers to assist with this operation and will be supported by a contingent of officers from interstate.”
So far, they seem to have collected three knives.
Source: MotorbikeWriter.com