Syndney, Australia - Outlawed Bikers Compare Themselves To Persecuted Jews |
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Following a fatal bikie brawl at Sydney Airport in March, NSW and South Australia have enacted laws that allow bikie gangs to be declared criminal organisations.
Membership can also be prosecuted as a criminal offence.
Western Australia, Queensland, Tasmania, the Northern Territory, Victoria and the ACT intend to implement similar laws in a national push to outlaw criminal bikie gangs.
Bikies have responded with a website aimed at breaking down "some of the negative stereotypes about motorcycle clubs and members".
The United Motorcycle Council of NSW provides clubs and individuals "with an avenue for dispute resolution", a statement on the council's website reads.
Bikies appearing in a video on the website liken the new anti-bikie laws to injustices suffered by victims of Nazi Germany and apartheid in South Africa.
At the start of the video the words "Freedom is not what someone gives you, it's what no one can take away from you" appear against haunting background music.
The words are attributed to Ramsey Clark, former US attorney-general.
Another line follows: "Unless you're the Government."
A shot of a globe, highlighting Nuremberg, Germany appears next, followed by a small group of disgruntled looking bikies staring at the camera.
Some have their arms folded, others have their hands in their jean pockets.
"In 1935 Germany passed the Nuremberg law which denied Jewish people to associate with their friends and work with some professions," a bikie decked in sunglasses and a baseball hat says.
The scene is followed by a shot of a globe featuring South Africa.
"In 1948 in South Africa apartheid was introduced," says a broad-shouldered balding bikie.
"The Government made it illegal for declared individuals to meet, even in the privacy of their own home."
In Australia, another bikie says: "You can be branded a criminal just by talking to declared people, even if you haven't committed a crime."
A bikie with heavily tattooed forearms says, "I thought I lived in a country where I wasn't discriminated against because of the colour of my skin."
Police Minister Tony Kelly says the NSW laws are aimed at people "who are heavily involved in drug dealing, and a whole host of other crimes".
"But if there's any other criminal gang out there that is involved in those sorts of activities, then they can be targeted under this legislation as well," he said.
"The legislation is specifically designed.
"It's not a group of three people who stand together and have a chat somewhere, you've got to be assembling for the purpose of conducting or intending to conduct criminal activity that will bring with it a jail term of up to seven years.
"Anybody who is not involved has no reason to be fearful of these new laws. If you are involved, then be very fearful."
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Jul 11, 2009 at 07:50 PM louie Says:
very good point they are right maskim gomer go scary bike guys go you tell them