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NYPD Is 'F***ing' With Hells Angels By Removing Their Bench & Planters
By
Jen Chung
Published Dec 14, 2016
Modified Dec 14, 2016
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By
Jen Chung
Published Dec 14, 2016
Modified Dec 14, 2016
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The police made an unwelcome visit to the Hells Angels headquarters in the East Village yesterday, days after a man was allegedly shot by a Hells Angel associate, taking the club's sidewalk planters, a ramp and their beloved bench. A police source told the Post, "It was done just to f-k with them. They’re not cooperating with the investigation. If they’re gonna give us a hard time, we’re gonna give them a hard time."
Dozens of officers descended on 77 East Third Street: DNAinfo called it a "raid" and the Daily News reports, "Cops armed with an Environmental Control Board Summons carried out a visual inspection outside of the property."
The shooting occurred outside the building early Sunday morning: A passenger in a Mercedes, David Martinez, exited a vehicle to move one of the traffic cones outside the Hells Angels clubhouse (the cones were claiming spaces for motorcycles) because a livery cab was blocking his way. A Hells Angels member allegedly objected, and this escalated into an "all-out brawl" between the Hells Angels and Martinez and his friends.
Martinez was shot in the stomach and taken to the hospital by his friend. Police think the shooter was a Hells Angels prospect.
On Monday, the police removed the traffic cones from both sides of East 3rd Street—according to the Post, this "prompt[ed] a female Hells Angels’ biker to start to cry and a male member to scream, 'It’s harassment! This is harassment!'" (A biker also allegedly nearly ran over the Post's photographer.)
Yesterday, the Hells Angels received summonses for the planters (blocking the sidewalk) and for "failing to display license plates on motorcycles."
Tagged
east village
hells angels
nypd
shooting
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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