OFF THE WIRE
The arrest of a man in Brisbane’s north has triggered a tense standoff between police and the Gypsy Jokers motorcycle gxxg this afternoon.
Police monitoring the gxxg's national poker run arrested a 42-year-old man at Everton Hills, where the club has its headquarters.
After the arrest, for obstruct police and a positive random drug test, dozens of gxxg members confronted police, but there were no further arrests, according to police.
Detective Chief Superintendent Gayle Hogan said between 30 and 40 bikies were met by a similar number of police, but peace was negotiated without further incident.
“A number of the members of the group came out (after the arrest),” she said.
“There were about 30 to 40 of them came out, and the police of similar numbers were there.
“The police formed up as we do as a normal response to a potential threat. There was negotiation between police and the members and there was no incident.”
The bikies are in town as part of the club’s national poker run.
Superintendent Hogan said around 100 officers were assigned to monitor the gxxg when it arrived yesterday and defended the police’s management of the run.
“We were managing a different part of the event, yesterday they were moving, today they are not moving,” she said.
“We have managed poker runs of other outlaw motorcycle gxxgs very similarly over the years.”
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/bikie-arrest-triggers-standoff-20120113-1pz2f.html
