Bikers Claim Police Are the Bad Guys

LAS VEGAS (CN) - Motorcycle clubs claim in Federal Court that Las Vegas police and Clark County sheriff's officers harass them and threaten to yank the liquor licenses of hotels and bars that agree to host their events.

The plaintiff Southern Nevada Confederation of Clubs is made up of 41 groups, including the Mongols, Vagos, Bandidos and Stray Cats. The confederation and a long list of members sued Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, Sheriff Doug Gillespie, the North Las Vegas Police Department and a slew of officers.

The bikers claim that police threatened the Alexis Park Resort Las Vegas that officers would block the property and search all vehicles coming and going if it allowed the Mongols to hold a custom car and bike reunion in June 2010.

The resort then canceled the Mongols' reservation and returned its $50,000 deposit, according to the complaint.

In September 2011, the bikers say, police threatened the liquor license of the Mountain Springs Bar if it hosted a Mongols event in October. Police claimed "that the club and its members were involved in trafficking and narcotics use, firearms trafficking, and felonious assaults and batteries," according to the complaint.

In June 2011, police threatened the liquor license of Scoundrels Pub if it allowed the Vagos Motorcycle Club to hold an event there, the complaint states.

The Stray Cats claim that after a lecture from an attorney about constitutional rights and U.S. history, several police cars arrived to clear the area. One member says he was "patted down extensively and surrounded by at least four police officers."

The complaint also claims that club members have been unfairly pulled over and arrested.

The plaintiffs seek punitive damages and with attorneys' fees for constitutional violations.

They are represented by Stephen Stubbs, who hosted the constitutional rights lecture that police allegedly broke up.

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