Hell angels the Motorcycle riders Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Hell angels the Motorcycle riders - Essay Example It was not long before other chapters throughout California were established and the group gained increasing prominence. During these early years the insignia and many membership elements were established (Winterhalder 2005). Today for an individual to become a member of the Hell’s Angels they must be a white male, have a driver’s license, an American made working motorcycle, and can never have applied to be a police officer or prison guard (Winterhalder 2005). Similar to the mafia there are a highly structured variety of stages an individual must progress through – including hang around, associate, and prospect stages – before becoming a fully-fledged member (Winterhalder 2005). Today there are over one hundred chapters of the Hell’s Angels. Surprisingly these chapters are not limited to the United States, but are spread out over 29 countries globally, with the first international chapter established in New Zealand in 1961 (Winterhalder 2005). While the members of Hell’s Angels contend they make great contributions to society, they have also been involved in a high number of criminal incidents. Perhaps the most seminal incident occurred at the 1969 Altamont Free Concert, a free Rolling Stones concert (Lavigne 2010). The Hell’s Angels were hired as security for the event, but during one incident greatly overstepped their bounds and killed one of the concertgoers. This incident is only the most publicized in a long-history of criminal incidents. In recent years the Hell’s Angels were involved in a shooting in Sparks, Nevada. Jeffrey Pettigrew, president of the San Jose chapter, was shot in the back two times by members of a rival gang (Lavigne 2010). In 2002 another incident occurred in Nevada. Referred to the River Run Riot the Hell’s Angels engaged in physical conflict on the casino floor (Lavigne 2010). This incident