Queensland authorities have announced a crackdown on outlaw motorcycle gangs and organised crime after a massive brawl erupted at the Gold Coast on Friday night.
Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie declared bikies have “had their day” after .
Police needed to use stun guns in the first incident, outside a Gold Coast tapas bar, which involved around 60 people.
A short time later, a second disturbance occurred involving bikie gang members outside the Southport watchhouse.
“Today is the day that we are saying enough’s enough,” Mr Bleijie said this afternoon.
“The Government is drawing a line in the sand and saying to outlaw motorcycle gangs, and those engaged in criminal enterprise in Queensland: you have had your day.”
Police have increased patrols in the area and have promised there will be zero tolerance of violent crimes.
Queensland Police Minister Jack Dempsey says police are sending a clear message to perpetrators.
“[They] have two choices … change their behaviour or go to jail,” he said.
“These people who want to bring violence, drugs and guns onto the streets of Queensland and particularly in the Gold Coast area have no more choices.
“From now on police will be knocking on their door, police will be stopping them on the sides of the roads and pulling them out of their vehicles and stopping their bikes.
“Police will now be ensuring that they will not be able to bring pain and suffering to the streets of the Gold Coast.”
Mr Dempsey said police had previously made a commitment to facilitate more than 100 officers over the next four years to the Gold Coast.
“We have actually delivered 137 police officers in the last 12 months,” he said.
“We have ensured that the police helicopter is permanently stationed at the Gold Coast.”
Mr Dempsey said he has directed Queensland Police Commissioner Ian Stewart to immediately respond by using whatever resources he has.
Commissioner Stewart says he will not tolerate people who act as though they are above the law.
“Any person who is intent on violence against another in this state will be targeted even more heavily from this point on than has previously been,” he said.
“As of right this afternoon, we will have extra police on the Gold Coast.
“There are times – and last night was a classic example – where out of the blue you get a group of people intent on committing crime and being violent, intimidating not only the general public but intimidating the police of this state. That is unacceptable and we will go after those people hard from this point.”
Commissioner Stewart said during the past year 724 people had been charged with over 1,000 offences relating to outlaw motorcycle gangs and violent behaviour.
“Police have been doing great work and they continue to do great work,” he said.
“What we are doing is … sending a clear message, either behave or you’ll be gone from the streets of the Gold Coast.”
