Hells Angels members are returning to the Greater Toronto Area this weekend for their annual meetup, following a “unsanctioned” procession in Toronto yesterday.
Up to 1,000 members of the motorcycle club are expected to ride into Whitby’s Brooklin community today for the club’s annual national ride. The gathering is scheduled to last until Sunday.
As a result, from Friday until Sunday at 9 p.m., police have closed Highway 12/Baldwin Street north of Columbus Road. This weekend, residents should also expect an increased police presence in the area.
“We’re requesting that residents abide by our detour signs, avoid the area if possible and if you do face any sort of traffic congestion, to just pack your patience and try to handle it,” Durham Regional Police Sgt. Joanne Bortoluss told reporters Friday afternoon.
Police held a news conference Monday to alert the public about the large gathering and said they hope the three-day event will be “uneventful.”
Bortoluss said there are checkpoints set up in the area to ensure drivers are travelling safely.
“We’re checking for any sort of sobriety, we’re checking for people being properly classed in the license, and that’s what we’re doing,” she said.
Bortoluss added that as of Friday afternoon there have been no issues with the gathering.
“To this point nothing criminal has happened. We have no indication that anything criminal will happen. We are here because it’s a large-scale event. We’re expecting a lot of people and we’re here to ensure the safety of the public.”
Source_ globalnews.ca
