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Police winning propaganda war, says US biker

Veteran American biker slams Aussie police profiling
James "Hollywood" Macecari

Police harassment of participants on a Queensland-NSW charity ride last weekend is part of a propaganda war that is winning over Australia riders, warns the lead writer for American motorcycle news website, Insane Throttle Biker.

Veteran Chicago motorcycle club patch holder and independent James “Hollywood” Macecari (pictured above) says it “blows my mind” that an average biker could take the side of the police.

His comments are attached to our article about the alleged harassment of the Hells Angels Good as Gold charity ride on Saturday (March 3, 2018).

Hells Angels MC Brisbane Chapter member Jeff Ehler claims police harassment at the ride included:

  • Riders were intimidated before the annual Good as Gold Charity Ride in Brisbane;
  • The ride was followed closely to the NSW border;
  • Police crossed double white lines to disperse the riders;
  • At a roadblock over the border, police conducted prolonged bike checks and incorrectly defected vehicles;
  • A police officer assaulted an Army veteran by shoving him in the chest for not moving his bike as ordered;.
  • Police performed “illegal searches” without warrants; and
  • Drug and alcohol tests were conducted in dangerously hot conditions without supplying riders with water or a toilet break.

We contacted NSW and Queensland police on Sunday for comment and are yet to receive a reply.

Propaganda war

James says this police profiling is part of a propaganda war that is winning over the Australian biker community.

Responding to comments from another reader, @Jim, the Insane Throttle Biker writer says:

What I hear @Jim saying is it’s alright for the Government to infringe on someones civil liberties. It’s alright for the Government to control who goes to a 1%er outing. It’s alright for the Government to profile a man or group because they wear a 1%er diamond. Even though they have done nothing wrong but put on a patch the government don’t like.

Police cops Profiling harassment propaganda
police roadblock for Hells Angels charity ride

James has a warning for riders who agree with the heavy handed policing and profiling at the weekend’s ride:

One day those same cops will use this same type of profiling against you, just because you’re on a bike. Remember that the next time they have you on the side of the road harassing you for no other reason then you’re on a bike. When that happens will you be on supporting their actions? No, you will be out there raising hell because you were profiled for no reason.

Insane Throttle BikerVeteran American biker slams Aussie police profiling propaganda

Insane Throttle Biker is an American motorcycle news service.

Lead writer James “Hollywood” Macecari has 25 years’ experience in Chicago motorcycle clubs as a patch holder and independent.

“I do not follow the mob mentality,” he says of his writing.

“I like to ask the hard questions and decide for myself. This is something every man should do; find out the facts, then make the choice you see fit.

“I give a no-nonsense look at all the issues that face all bikers and especially motorcycle clubs. I no longer have preferences to which side of the fence to be on when it comes to clubs, this enables me to be honest without any misconceptions or determinations towards one group or another.”

Police Harassment charity ride profiling
Hells Angels charity ride

James is also a fan of Motorbike Writer and the Insane Throttle Biker website includes a link on its home page to this site.

“Very informative and a great service to the biker community,” James says of Motorbike Writer. “I’m especially a fan of Mark Hinchliffe. His articles are crisp, informative and fun to read. Mark lays out the information in a way everyone can understand and comprehend.”

  1. I was against the VLAD Act and its inherent dangers and I’m against such behaviour from the police even if it’s just targeting (for the moment) a mob of people many think are lower than dog droppings. insane throttle biker is right in his condemnation of the fools who support such behaviour from the police. The USA has a constitution that was fairly well thought out by some very bright and forward thinking people most of whom were far more forward thinking than a lot of the backward idiots who are now hastily trying to trash the constitution and the protection of rights and liberty it dictates. Australia doesn’t have such a constitution it has one of sorts and there are some protections in it but not so clearly and concisely spelled out as America’s . So laws like VLAD and behaviour from the police that should never be condoned or ignored if it’s happening to a group you despise is extremely dangerous in this country and anyone who thinks it’s OK is a bloody ignorant moron.

    1. There are good laws, there are bad laws, there are good people, there are bad people, and surprise surprise, water is wet! The amount of influence the ordinary person has in any of this is limited, This particular situation is being fought in social media to win influence and sew discontent. In such situations there is little to no evidence, it’s he said she said, and so the only tool at hand is ‘Cui Bono’. (who benefits?) did the charity benefit, no. Did you and I benefit? No. Did the hells angels get any sympathy? Oh you bet they did, just look at supporting comments warning us of slippery slopes and being treated equally under the law! What bullshit. It’s a PR stunt and you fell for it.

      1. It’s a PR stunt and you fell for it.
        Yes you did Robert that’s my point and the the Yanks point.
        Every time you think something is okay because it’s just a bunch of whinging scumbags that’s being targeted you are fooling yourself and losing your own rights in the process.
        I don’t like the idea of being harassed or possibly imprisoned on false charges because the cops can get away with it just because some people think it’s okay as long as I’m a scumbag we’ll im not a scumbag im just a normal person who rides a bike not even a HD at that but if I have a coffee and there’s a bunch of HDs parked outside and some nark takes my photo in the presents of someone who may or may not be a 1%er I or anyone else especially someone who actually rides HDs could find themselves on the receiving end of some very unwelcome police harassment.

        1. So your saying I fell for a PR stunt? Wait, … What…! Just who do you think filmed this incident, the Police!! and there doing it why, so that they can ‘set themselves up’ ? Your clearly not thinking this through.
          Your complaint is that you might be unfairly targeted because there are bad people around. That is a laughable argument – try using same if you ever get picked for a tax audit. “But sir, I don’t cheat on my taxes why are you lumping me in with all those tax cheats, your treating me like a scumbag”.

          More on clear thinking – a nark takes your photo (and presumably of your bike) so you now immediately think your on some watch list, ridiculous. Back at the office – Mr Narc runs your numbers through the database and finds you have no criminal record, ride a Honda, and are the second most boring person on the planet (first position goes to me, sorry) and out of sheer bloodymindedness puts you “on a list”!! Oh wait, no he just moves on and forgets you even exist.

  2. Police and the media work together to give the the appearance that they are doing something significant. Anybody in the riding community and their supporters all know what’s going on. These “task” forces are political tools (in every sense of the word) are constantly viewed with contempt and sarcasm by many Australians and will continue that way for a long time.

  3. I kind of think it is really cute that the Raptor Task Force have gone to the trouble of getting special jackets made – with “Team Raptor” or something on the back.

    It’s so sweet.

    A bit like the Police have their own little club.

    Awww.

    I wonder if Task Force Raptor is about one-percent of the Police Force. They could be a 1% club.

    How jolly for them, little moppets.

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