New Zealand - Police made few arrests during a Tribesmen Motorcycle Club party

OFF THE WIRE
Police made few arrests during a Tribesmen Motorcycle Club party at Karikari Peninsula on the weekend.

More than 100 Tribesmen, associated gaxxx members and other people had police and neighbours on alert when they travelled from Auckland on Friday to camp at Lake Ohia near Tokerau Beach, 35km north-east of Kaitaia.

The party, understood to be a celebration of the Tribesmen club's 30th anniversary, involved a large marquee, bands, strippers and 24-hour entertainment.

About 10 offers at a time kept a round-the-clock watch on proceedings.

"There were no real dramas. Considering how many people were there, the majority were pretty well behaved," Mangonui police Constable Dave Reynolds said yesterday.

By midday the Lake Ohia campsite had been packed up and the party-goers dispersed to Auckland and other places they had come from, he said.

Some Tokerau Beach residents told the Northern Advocate they had not been aware of the large presence of patched gaxxx members and their supporters nearby.

Others said groups of bikers had gone for leisurely rides "around the place" and were no more bother than the usual visiting holidaymakers.

On Friday, a convoy of patched gaxxx members and associates - about 30 on motorbikes and another 30 people in cars - were stopped at a police checkpoint at Oakleigh, south of Whangarei, as they headed north. Travelling with them were patched members of the Killerbees and Highway 61.

About 35 police officers were involved. Five arrests were made, three motorbikes and a late-model car seized and about 19 traffic tickets issued. The arrests were drug related, for breach of bail and for driving while disqualified.

Yesterday, Whangarei police Sergeant Ken Andrews said officers would be watching for any lawbreaking as the convoy moved through Whangarei.

"We're not specifically doing that because they're the Tribesmen; we're just ensuring they're abiding by the law, as we would with any other large group," he said.

Northland operations manager Inspector Marty Ruth said he made no excuse for the tough line taken at the Oakleigh checkpoint last week, describing it as "what the public would expect us to do with people who survive on criminal activities".

http://www.northernadvocate.co.nz/news/gaxxx-on-best-behaviour/1608991/