Dutch judges on Wednesday banned biker club Hells Angels and ordered all its chapters to close in the Netherlands, as authorities continue a clampdown on so-called outlaw motorcycle gangs.
"The Hells Angels is a danger to the public order," the court in the central Dutch city of Utrecht ruled.
"The Hells Angels sees itself as a one-percenter club, a club of outlaws," said the court, citing a slogan used by biker gangs rejecting the authority of national laws or societal norms.
"It's a club where there's a culture of lawlessness and the authorities are kept outside their doors," the court added in a statement.
The court referred to a number of patches or so-called "colours" on the cut-off vests of the Hells Angels, called "cuts", saying "they are handed out to members who commit (serious) violence."
"The Hells Angels' profile is that of the largest and most powerful motorbike club. They believe other clubs should listen to them and that leads to long-running conflicts."
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