If you’re one of the many people enjoying the Sons of Anarchy series on Netflix, you’ll know that biker gangs can be dark, dangerous and lethal. In the UK, we have traditionally seen them as ale swigging social clubs who may look a bit scary but are really full of gentle giants.
Often, this is right, most members of motorcycle gangs are not criminals and do not engage in any violent activity, but those that do are very dangerous, and identify themselves as the ‘violent one percenters’, and they run some of the world’s most sophisticated and effective criminal associations. These sorts of gangs are growing fast in Europe and now the UK.
So, who are these ‘outlaw motorcycle gangs’?
Hells Angels
The original outlaw motorcycle gang, they were originally formed in 1935. There are two types of biker gang in the world effectively: The Hells Angels and everyone else. Every other gang is either an ally of the Hells Angel or an enemy. In the UK, they’ve been here since the late 1960s and are a reasonably common sight on the UK’s roads in certain parts of the country.
Outlaws M.C.
The Outlaws are the sworn enemies of the Hells Angels and were the worlds original outlaw motorcycle club, being founded in the USA in 1935. The One Percenters in the UK have generally always been a Hells Angel or an Outlaw, thought to have been the result of the UK being part of a deal following the Scandinavian Biker War of the 90s.
Mongols M.C.
Formed in East LA at the back-end of the 60s the Mongols are allies of the Outlaws and are expanding rapidly. Often thought by some to be the most violent gang of all, Europol have confirmed that the Mongols have been spotted in the UK, and so are definitely expanding here.
Vagos M.C.
Like the Mongols, the Vagos are allies of the Outlaws. Formed in the USA, they are not thought to have a chapter in the UK yet, but many think it will only be a matter of time, as they have several chapters in the Scandinavian. They wear green as a club with a logo that depicts the Loki, the Norse God.
Rebels M.C.
The Rebels are Australia’s largest one percenter motorcycle club and are expanding rapidly. More and more have started to live in England so it is feasible that they will become quite a force in the one percenter world.
Europol – the EU law enforcement agency – has warned that more and more biker gangs are on their way to the UK, and have said that this could lead to violent turf wars as more established clubs defend their territory and criminal activities from incoming gangs. So, next time you walk into a bar full of bikers, maybe it’s best to decide to go and drink elsewhere. As we’ve seen in the last few years, biker disputes can be violent, bloody and even fatal.