Barney Lerten
ktvz.com/
REDMOND, Ore. -Redmond police and Deschutes County sheriff's deputies pulled the plug on the final hours of the Run to the Cascades motorcycle rally at the fairgrounds late Saturday afternoon due to information about a "potential for violence," possibly involving rival motorcycle clubs, Capt. Brian McNaughton said.
The decision to shut down the two-day event that drew hundreds of motorcycle riders before a closing concert by the classic rock band Foghat was made because "we had received information that there was a potential for violence that we're very concerned" about, McNaughton told NewsChannel 21. McNaughton said Redmond police spoke with Sheriff Larry Blanton, who "strongly recommended to the fair director (Dan Despotopulos) we close it down. After he heard the information that we had received, he decided it was the best thing to do for the public" safety. The Hell's Angels Motorcycle Club apparently had a booth at the event, and more police were called in to monitor the situation after what McNaughton said a "large contingent" of another club, the Mongols, showed up at the rally on Saturday. After the announcement, there were reports that some people who had camped out at the campground were reluctant to leave, and some were being warned they could face trespassing charges. The surprise announcement also caught some tattoo artists in the South Sisters Room in mid-tattoo, needing to complete their work and load up to leave. Others were still arriving for the concert, unaware of the closure announcement. The only events scheduled Sunday were a morning "bike blessing" and church services from 8-9 a.m.
Biker club confrontation prompts Redmond rally shutdown
BY: Barney Lerten
Source: ktvz.com
Oregon - Clash between Mongols, Hells Angels prompts police move REDMOND, Ore. - Redmond police and Deschutes County sheriff's deputies shut down the Run to the Cascades Motorcycle Rally at the county fairgrounds Saturday evening after a large group from the Mongols motorcycle club arrived and threatened violence if members of the Hells Angels refused to leave immediately, police said.
Officers entered the fairgrounds and watched as the Hells Angels indeed packed up and left, according to police. But witnesses also told officers that Hells Angels members said they planned to return with more people "to settle the dispute," according to Redmond police Capt. Brian McNaughton. McNaughton said police had "received information that acts of potential violence" were expected at the second annual rally, which was well into its second day and had attracted hundreds of motorcyclists from around the region for a variety of concerts, events and activities focused on the themes of remembering those lost in 9/11 and celebrating American freedom. And while things had been fairly peaceful, for the most part, Redmond police also said there had been two arrests, one in an incident Friday night – a reported dispute involving a knife – that led to a La Pine man's arrest, and another arrest early Saturday after a Keizer man allegedly fired a gun at the fairgrounds. Around 5 p.m. Saturday, McNaughton said, the large Mongols group approached the Hells Angels members already at the event – the club had a booth there – and "demanded the Hells Angels group leave immediately." "Witnesses reported the Mongols group threatened violence if the Hells Angels group was not gone within 15 minutes," McNaughton said. "Witnesses reported weapons were brandished." Word of that confrontation prompted police and sheriff's deputies to enter the fairgrounds and stand by while the Hells Angels group packed up and left. However, "witnesses reported the Hells Angels group intended to return with more people to settle the dispute," McNaughton said in a news release issued late Saturday night. At that point, sheriff's deputies and police contacted fairgrounds Director Dan Despotpulos "and strongly recommended the event be closed in order to protect public safety," McNaughton said.
