Members of the Hells Angels are returning to the Greater Toronto Area this weekend for their annual meeting after holding an “unsanctioned” march in Toronto yesterday.
Up to 1,000 members are expected to ride into the Brooklyn community of Whitby today for the motorcycle club’s annual national race. The collection is expected to be by Sunday.
As a result, police closed Highway 12/Baldwin Street north of Columbus Road Friday through Sunday at 9 p.m. People should also expect to see an increased police presence in the area this weekend.
“We’re asking residents to follow our detour signs, avoid the area if possible and if you do encounter any traffic, just be patient and try to get through it,” said Durham Regional Police Sgt. Joan Bortolus told reporters Friday afternoon.
Police held a news conference on Monday to warn the public of the large gathering and said they hoped the three-day event would be “smooth”.
Bortolus said checkpoints are in place in the area to ensure motorists travel safely.
“We check for some kind of sobriety, we check that people are properly classified on the license and that’s what we do,” she said.
Bortolus added that as of Friday afternoon, there had been no problems with the collection.
“Up to this point, nothing criminal has happened. We have no indication that anything criminal will happen. We are here because it is a large-scale event. We are expecting a lot of people and we are here to ensure the safety of the public.”
TODAY through Sunday: Due to a large-scale event featuring the Hells Angels MC this weekend, Highway 12/Baldwin Street north of Columbus will be closed from Friday, July 22 at 4 a.m. until Sunday, July 24 at 9 p.m. Only local traffic has access. Detour signs will be in place. See the map below. pic.twitter.com/i7Ce8sxnkQ
— Durham Regional Police (@DRPS) July 22, 2022
The meeting comes after a large procession of up to 1,000 Hells Angels members made their way from Newmarket to Toronto’s east end on Thursday.
Police warned the public about the “unauthorized event” a day earlier and said they were ready to direct traffic and ensure public safety during the gathering.
The memorial run was in honor of longtime member of the Toronto Hells Angels, Donnie Peterson, who died at age 74 of natural causes.
After leaving Newmarket around 11 a.m., the bikers entered Toronto and parked in front of a Carlaw Avenue storefront believed to be operated by the club.
The bikers stayed in the neighborhood for a few hours, then shortly before 3 p.m. most left.
“The procession passed without incident, with officers present on the streets of the city to manage traffic and ensure public safety. No arrests have been made related to this event,” Toronto police spokeswoman Stephanie Sayer said in a statement to CP24 Thursday afternoon.
Roads in the area were closed during the gathering, but reopened ahead of schedule around 3:30 p.m.
Add Comment