New Zealand - Whanganui moves to widen patch ban

OFF THE WIRE
MICHAEL FORBES
 stuff.co.nz

Whanganui District Council has taken a first step towards banning patches belonging to the notorious Rebels motorcycle gang.
Members of the large Australian gang, which has been linked to violence and drug-dealing overseas, have been seen in Palmerston North, Whangarei, Taupo and Auckland in recent months.
Whanganui area commander Inspector Duncan MacLeod told a full council meeting last night that the Rebels had been associating with members of New Zealand gangs. Police had intelligence suggesting they were linking with the Tribesmen gang.
Mr MacLeod asked the council to have the Rebels Motorcycle Club included in Whanganui's bylaw banning gang insignia.
Councillor Michael Laws, who spearheaded the introduction of the bylaw as mayor in 2008, said he understood the Rebels were a serious concern for Australian police, who considered them "about 20 IQ points above other gangs".
Last night the council voted unanimously to put the proposal for adding the Rebels to the gang insignia bylaw out for public consultation. Consultation is expected to take a couple of weeks.
The bylaw covers 10 gangs, including the Tribesmen, Black Power and Mongrel Mob.