Hells Angels Debar Their Bench

Just because, here we are admiring the door of the Hells Angels headquarters in 1985 before there even was a bench out there (via garthj's vimeo).

Earlier this month the Hells Angels installed a bar across the bench that sits in front of their headquarters on Third Street in the East Village. Why'd they do that? To keep toursits passing by (or staying in a nearby hotel) from using it. Naturally, some neighbors and tourists were not amused by the addition and—shockingly!—apparently neither was the city's Department of Transportation.

After the story made the news cycle the DoT stepped in, pointing out to the notorious bikers that their bench is on city property and that if the Angel's want to keep it they'd need a permit. So... long story short, the bench is working it sans bar. Meanwhile the DoT and the Angels are "trying to work out a solution" to keep the bench.

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