The Hells Angels, a motorcycle club, were banned in the Netherlands in 2019 when a court in the city of Utrecht determined that the group posed a significant threat to public order due to the violence associated with it.
This decision was against the global organization of the Hells Angels, not just a specific chapter, marking a strict stance by the country toward the club.
In 2022, the Supreme Court of the Netherlands upheld this decision, reaffirming that prosecutors proved the club operated as a criminal organization and that the ban was within the limits of freedom of expression.
The court also recognized the Hells Angels as a foreign corporation and prohibited their activities in the country.
Although individual members of the Hells Angels can still live and ride motorcycles in the Netherlands, they are banned from displaying any club insignia, such as patches or colors, under threat of prosecution. This means that, in practice, the club has been dismantled in the country, but its members can still remain as long as they do not publicly identify as part of the organization.
Source and photos: RideApart / Reproduction Unsplash | This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
