Tony Bartlett
news.ninemsn.com.au
Around 200 members of the Hells Angels outlaw motorcycle gang have descended on the Gold Coast in what police see as a show of force against their bitter rivals, the Finks.
The bikies, who set out from a heavily fortified clubhouse at Browns Plains in Brisbane on Friday, switched their route, diverting around the Gold Coast into NSW before circling north through Byron Bay and Bangalow, crossing the border into Queensland at Tweed Heads.
The convoy, part of the Hells Angels national run, then made its way along the M1 to Broadbeach and Surfers Paradise, where most will spend the weekend.
The ride has been shadowed by officers from police Task Force Hydra, established in 2006 to fight outlaw motorcycle gangs in Queensland.
Regional Crime Coordinator Detective Superintendent David Hutchinson says extra precautions have been taken to keep the heart of the tourist strip safe over the weekend.
Det Supt Hutchinson said he didn't want to tell people where to go over the weekend, but the arrival of so many Hells Angels was a concern.
"Obviously people should be conscious of their security and safety the whole time," he said.
"But there will be a significant police presence specifically to ensure that the public do remain safe."
While the Hells Angels don't have a clubhouse on the Gold Coast, Task Force Hydra has been keeping a close watch on the activities of members there.
In December, a gym run by a patched member of the Hells Angels at Helensvale was riddled with bullets from a high calibre weapon in what police believe was a clear message for the gang to leave town.
