Researchers speak with 24 members of banned Hells Angels Holland; study
Despite being banned since 2019, Hells Angels Holland motorcycle clubs still have active members. A team of researchers from the Netherlands Study Center for Crime and Law Enforcement (NSCR), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, and the Erasmus University of Rotterdam spoke with 24 members of the Hells Angels Holland, which was banned and dissolved in 2019. The researchers will present their findings on Friday night on the NPO Radio 1 show 'Het Misdaadbureau' by Omroep WNL.
In 2019, the Netherlands was the first country in the world to ban the Hells Angels completely. According to the Supreme Court, the Public Prosecution Service (OM) successfully proved that their activities were contrary to public order and that the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club Holland should therefore be banned and dissolved.
Despite the ban and the dissolution, the motorcycle club still has active members. The researchers conducted in-depth interviews with members from ten distinct local sections, each playing various roles within the organization.
The study pointed out various reasons for people joining the Hells Angels. For example, those interviewed identified the Hells Angels as the ultimate attainment within the realm of motorcycle clubs. Sjoukje van Deuren, an Assistant Professor of Criminology at the Faculty of Law at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, explained that the Hells Angels is perceived as “the Champions League of motorcycle clubs.”
Becoming a full-fledged member involves a preparatory phase, where individuals are “educated” by the club about the essence of being a Hells Angel, she said. Van Deuren also explained that having a criminal record or participating in criminal activity does not necessarily hinder someone's chances of becoming a member, provided it does not negatively impact the organization. However, specific criminal records, such as child abuse or violence against women, are highly condemned within the club and can often result in the denial of membership.
A first attempt to ban the Hells Angels Holland ended in 2009 with the Supreme Court ruling in favor of the motorbike club. Since 2012, the Dutch government has intensified its efforts against what they call “Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs,” and in 2019, the gang was banned and had to cease all activities in the country. Teun van Ruitenburg, a researcher at NSCR, observed that members reacted differently to the dissolution. “Although members are generally angry and perceive the measures as unjust, they often choose to comply, for example, by leaving their vests with club logos at home.”
Despite the ban and the closure of their clubhouses, some members have adapted and still continue various club-related activities, according to Van Ruitenburg. He also noted that some members are challenging the ban on their club clothes through legal means.
The study also determined that the government's strict measures and legal rulings against the club incited feelings of discontent among Hells Angels members, which in turn, intensified their sense of loyalty to the club.
