Bandidos bikies from around Australia to descend on Ballarat for national run
Victoria Police will be on high alert as Bandidos bikie gang members from around the country roar into Ballarat, northwest of Melbourne, to embark on their national run.
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Members of the Bandidos bikie gang from around Australia will descend on Ballarat this weekend for their national run.
The riders are expected to gather at Ballarat on Friday before travelling to nearby Buninyong and returning to Ballarat.
The Bandidos are regarded as one of the state’s “big-six” outlaw motorcycle gangs.
Victoria Police said members of their Echo and VIPER taskforces would be monitoring the run to ensure public safety.
They will be supported by local police and specialist units.
The run will wrap up on Sunday.
Police said they would be ready to take swift action if any OMCG members were involved in criminal, road safety or public order offences.
Western Region superintendent Frank Sells said police will “not be intimidated” by OMCGs, with an increased police presence planned across Ballarat for the Bandidos’ arrival.
“Members of the Echo and VIPER taskforces, alongside local police, will have a vehicle checkpoint set up on the route to ensure the riders are complying with the road rules and conducting themselves appropriately,” he said.
“We will be monitoring all activity and will be ready to take swift action to prevent, detect and disrupt any potential unlawful activity. It will not be tolerated.
“The local community can be assured that Victoria Police has made wide scale preparations and is ready to appropriately monitor and respond to OMCG activities for this national run.”
Ballarat has hosted the Bandidos several times before, with the group hosting its annual general meeting at popular local restaurant Lazy Moe’s in November last year.
The club even posted a classified in Ballarat’s The Courier newspaper in the days after the event, thanking the the people of Ballarat for their “warm hospitality” during their stay.
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