Biker Gang Wars - Could it happen here?

[MeredithMan]

In reading the news stories about the biker war in TX, one can't help but wonder if there is any risk here during bike week? The stories mentioned that The Cossacks and The Banditos are national, (actually international), groups. Do these guys or any other of the hard-core biker gangs ever show up in Laconia? We have purposely avoided being in the area for bike week for many years, so I have no clue how it is currently...just wondering....

If the rumors are true of huge concerts at the Weirs Drive In, I sure hope that Laconia and the State of NH are planning this all out properly. Even if the Super-Bad Guys don't show up, tens of thousands of people in that small area has the potential for chaos....

[HomeWood]

Sure. Why couldn't it? I'm sure NHSP and even Laconia police try to gather current information about 1% clubs prior to bike week. That means who is currently feuding with who and maybe even why. I wouldn't be surprised if there were a couple plainclothes officers or detectives in the crowd. My department has an intelligence unit that does just that.

[Pine Island Guy]

I was a kid heading to Camp Idlewild on Cow Island when the "big riot" of Wiers Beach took place during Bike Week 1965... As a 9 year old, I was in awe... my parents had a different perspective - "no trips to the Weirs this summer"!

The story made Life Magazine (although not sure why it was in the "sports" section)... http://www.weirsbeach.com/Largejpgs/weirsriot2.html

Hopefully great weather for the event, and fun people watching as always! -PIG

[Slickcraft]

We have been going to bike week the past 15 years, never saw any off behavior at our daytime visits. Hells Angles normally have a booth at Laconia and to the best of my knowledge are very well behaved.

About 10 years ago a rival group planned a stop in Alton Bay on the way to a gathering in Maine. The NHSP had good intelligence and made it clear to the group that the Alton stop was fine, just don't head up toward Laconia. Also the NHSP made it clear to the Hells Angles that they were not to ride down to Alton while the other group was here. The rival group did stop in Alton Bay and then went on their way with no issues. This is a case of the NHSP having good intelligence, good communications with the rival groups and making it quite clear as to what they would allow.

[thinkxingu]

Hells Angles normally have a booth at Laconia and to the best of my knowledge are very well behaved.

Of course they are--a group of nerds practicing geometry is typically benign.

[dpg]

It can happen any where any time. Stay away that week and that's it, problem solved...Well for you anyway.

[jetlag100]

I was 6 yrs. old when the "riot" happened at the Weirs...have never heard of anything else,give or take some arrests, since. I'm sure they're all over it (law enforcement)!

[Donzi Minx]

I lived with bike week for many years while my uncle still had his property in West Alton. My cousin, his son, made the pilgrimage every year, and invited various characters to the property. Needless to say when the next door neighbor telephoned me and informed me of what he thought (knew they were unconscious) were dead bodies on the lawn, on the boathouse roof, on the dock, and in the driveway, bike week got a little carried away at the property.
As a staunch Stones fan.....remember what happened in 1969 at Altamont.

[tis]

I was a kid heading to Camp Idlewild on Cow Island when the "big riot" of Wiers Beach took place during Bike Week 1965... As a 9 year old, I was in awe... my parents had a different perspective - "no trips to the Weirs this summer"!

The story made Life Magazine (although not sure why it was in the "sports" section)... http://www.weirsbeach.com/Largejpgs/weirsriot2.html

Hopefully great weather for the event, and fun people watching as always! -PIG

I was there at the end of the riot when the NG was marching down the street and got hit by one of those guns. But I think there is another thread about this where we already told our stories.