BC Special Anti-Gang Unit in Revelstoke to deter violence at motorcycle event | Globalnews.ca

Members of BC’s Uniform Gang Enforcement Team are in Revelstoke as dozens of cyclists have gathered in the southeastern BC city.

It is hoped that their presence will prevent violence from taking place between rival outlaw motorcycle gangs.

“It is a motorcycle event, what we know or traditionally know, as we have seen numerous times in Canada, is that these types of events attract members of outlaw motorcycle gangs,” said Sgt. Brenda Winpenny, spokesperson for the Uniform Gang Enforcement Team.

The special forces team is assisting the local detachment in the hope that what happened in Cranbrook on July 23 will not be repeated.

“We are really there to protect the public from any situation that may occur. As we know in July, Cranbrook residents experienced a situation where we had rival gangs in their community, resulting in a violent incident. Several people ended up in the hospital and that’s what we want to prevent, ”Winpenny said.

The Mounts were called to a gas station on Cranbrook Street North around 7 pm on July 23 to receive reports of “various people fighting.”

Five people were sent to the hospital with non-life threatening stab wounds.

The gang control team responds regularly to the province’s communities to provide support to law enforcement agencies, either proactively or reactively.

“We are seeing different communities in BC beginning to have their attractions. Outlaw motorcycle groups have their rides too, ”Winpenny said.

“We just want them to know that we are present.”

Organizers of the event declined an interview but said the event is legal and that all attendees are following public health orders in the region.

– With files from Simon Little.

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