Bandidos rock Oranienburg: 150 bikers protest against the ban on cowls!

Bandidos rock Oranienburg: 150 bikers protest against the ban on cowls!

On June 14, 2025, an impressive gathering of over 150 motorcyclists took place in Oranienburg. The “Bandidos” motorcycle club registered the event, which took place on Bernauer Straße. With around 155 motorcycles and 14 cars, members and supporters from Berlin, Brandenburg and other federal states were attracted. The police secured the event and despite the size of the event, there were no incidents. This rally stretched from 2:00 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. and was part of a protest against a stricter association law, which has banned the Bandidos from publicly displaying their emblems since March 2017 maz-online.de reported.

The protest took the form of two rides, both of which started from the Olympic Square in Berlin. The first column set off at 12:30 p.m. under the motto “No collective punishments for bikers,” while the second column started at 2:00 p.m. with the aim of demonstrating against the Bandidos MC insignia ban. Both exits were accompanied by the police and led to Oranienburg over large streets and motorways.

Background to the cowl ban

The background noise to this loud rally is determined by law. The Federal Constitutional Court has confirmed a far-reaching ban on costumes for rocker clubs such as the Bandidos, Hells Angels and MC Stimme. If a chapter of a club is banned, other chapters that are not banned are also prohibited from wearing the habit. An insight into these regulatory measures shows that there are around 10,000 rockers in Germany, organized in around 700 chapters (taz.de).

The ban on cowls is not just limited to wearing cowls, but also includes the public display and media distribution of badges, uniforms and flags of banned rocker clubs. A legal basis is the ban that has been in force since 2017, which clearly stipulates that license plates of banned rocker clubs may not be worn by members of legal clubs. These decisions by the Federal Constitutional Court and the courts have made it clear that identification with criminal activities via the habit also applies to legal members (fachanwaltsuche.de).

Social perception and crime

The social perception of rocker clubs and especially the Bandidos has changed in recent years. While the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) stated in its 2018 situation report that only 2 percent of all organized crime cases were attributed to rocker clubs, the attention of the police and the Office for the Protection of the Constitution remains focused on their activities. Finally, there are still indications of serious crimes such as protection rackets, prostitution, drug trafficking and illegal arms trafficking.

The Bandidos, which were founded in Texas in 1966, are the second largest motorcycle club in the world with around 5,000 members and over 200 local groups. They are known for their love of Harley-Davidson motorcycles. Given the current legal framework and societal attitudes, the future of these clubs could change significantly, requiring a fundamental dialogue about their role in society.