Translated from Dutch
Motorclub No Surrender Photo: DvhN
Criminal motorcycle clubs have largely disappeared from the streets, but that does not mean that they are no longer there. “Alertness is still required,” said prosecutor Lars Stempher. He’s worried.
“If we are not careful, we will soon be able to start over,” says Stempher, who is responsible within the Public Prosecution Service for the national coordination of the fight against criminal motorcycle clubs.
On Thursday evening, Stempher is one of the two speakers at the Public Academy for the Judiciary .
‘New clubs are emerging’
Strangely enough, the public prosecutor’s concern stems from the success of tackling motorcycle gangs. In recent years, motorcycle clubs have not only been tackled through criminal law, but also through other legal avenues.
Bandidos, Satudarah, Hells Angels and No Surrender have been banned by the civil courts. Mayors closed motorcycle club houses along the administrative road. Lars Stempher: ,, The danger is that attention will now weaken. And that would be very bad. The people who joined these clubs have not disappeared. What we see is that some of them are reuniting. New clubs are emerging, also in the Northern Netherlands. ”
Victim of own success
“We are in danger of falling victim to our success,” said Stempher. What he is particularly concerned about is the capacity of the police. “Capacity is scarce, choices always have to be made.”
Stempher had not expected that the ban on motorcycle clubs and the criminal prosecution of the leaders would end the so-called undermining crime. “That would be a vain hope. The big question now is how we can keep the focus on new developments. ”
Increasingly security measures
Lars Stempher, who gained some fame as a prosecutor in the Willem Holleeder trial, will discuss this issue in detail on Thursday evening.
The second speaker is Fred van der Winkel, president of the Northern Netherlands District Court. His story focuses on safety in the courts. As president he is responsible for this. Van der Winkel is also chairman of the national coordination group of court presidents on security. Although courts are not boarded-up fortresses, security measures are increasingly being taken.
The Northern Netherlands court twice played a major role in the fight against criminal motorcycle clubs. In 2019 No Surrender was banned by the court in Assen. Last year, the court in Groningen imposed 10 years in prison on Henk Kuipers, the former leader of No Surrender.
Questions can be asked
The Public Academy for the Judiciary is an initiative of Dagblad van het Noorden in close collaboration with the Northern Netherlands District Court, the Public Prosecution Service and the University of Groningen. It is a series of lectures with current topics from the case law. Due to corona as yet without an audience.
This episode can be followed directly on dvhn.nl and on the Facebook page of this newspaper, where questions can also be asked during the broadcast. Questions in advance? Via : rechtspraak@dvhn.nl .
The start is 8 p.m.
