What it looked like as Hells Angels-linked bikers descended on Toronto-صحيفة الصوت

Hundreds of bikers affiliated with or linked to the Hells Angels rode through the Toronto area on Thursday in memory of a member who died recently.

The procession began in Newmarket, Ont., at 9 a.m. ET and travelled southbound on Highway 404 to the Don Valley Parkway before heading eastbound on Lake Shore Boulevard East, ending at a location on Carlaw Avenue. The event remained peaceful.

It was reported that bikers were riding in honour of Donny Petersen. 

Toronto police said in a news conference Wednesday to brace for an “unsanctioned” Hells Angel biker procession, meaning the group did not get a permit for the event from the city.

Police say the Hells Angels communicated to them that it will have a memorial ride and gathering in the city on Thursday in memory of one of their members.

“This procession will inevitably cause traffic disruption in our city,” Toronto Police Service Supt. Scott Baptiste told reporters Wednesday.” We have no information to indicate that they intend to do anything other than participate in the memorial ride, followed by a gathering.”

Police said Carlaw Avenue, between Lake Shore Boulevard East and Eastern Avenue, will be closed from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday.

As they rode through Toronto, CBC News caught several photos of the procession.

Police said they were monitoring the procession with officers in the area.

“We have a command post set up in the area and we have been in ongoing communication with this group to understand what exactly they intend to do,” Baptiste said.

Biker expert Peter Edwards, who has followed and reported on Hells Angels for some time, says it’s akin to a PR event for the biker group.

“They want to look good. They don’t want to call bad attention to themselves,” the Toronto Star journalist said. The goal: “try to look tough and respectable at the same time.”

Earlier this week, Durham Police noted the motorcycle club is an organized crime group responsible for drug and human trafficking among other offences. Referring to the biker group as “more of an association,” Edwards says the once racist, white-only organization has evolved over the years and the Toronto procession will be different.

“In California, they they used to be an all-white club. Now they’re not. Now they have charters in Asia. They have a lot of non-white members.”

“I would imagine Toronto is a little more consolidated, but there’s a lot of different groups,” Edwards added.

His advice for onlookers is “don’t touch the bikes.” Other than that, he doesn’t expect any trouble.

Toronto police will update the status of road closures throughout the day.