More than 500 join protest over North Wales police tactics

More than 500 motorcyclists converged on North Wales Police headquarters in Colwyn Bay on Sunday to protest at harassment and aggressive treatment.

The demonstration follows the launch of Operation Focus in March – a ‘zero tolerance’ crackdown after five riders died in the region in eight days.

A group of 50 protestors were allowed in for a meeting with Deputy Chief Constable Bill Brereton to voice their grievances.

They are objecting to mass checks for illegal plates, pipes and visors, with some riders stopped several times a day and held in lay-bys for more than an hour a time.

Brereton said there would be no change in policy and all offences would be prosecuted, however small. But he accepted that some riders were being held up too long. Officers are now being told that they cannot delay riders for more than 10 minutes.

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