MOTORCYCLE CLUBS' CHARITY MONEY NOT ACCEPTED
BY: Bj?rn Lid?n & Av Tomas Svedberg
Gothenburg, SWEDEN - MOTORCYCLE CLUBS' CHARITYMONEY NOT ACCEPTED. Each year motorcycle clubs in Gothenburg collects money that they donate to charity. This year like the previous year the money, close to 50 000 sek, were to be given to Br?cke ?sterg?rd, a daycare for children with functional disabilities. - but they do not want to to accept the money evidently because of being pressured, Clarence Granhage says
more...MOTORCYCLE CLUBS' CHARITY MONEY NOT ACCEPTED
BY: Bj?rn Lid?n & Av Tomas Svedberg
Gothenburg, SWEDEN - MOTORCYCLE CLUBS' CHARITYMONEY NOT ACCEPTED. Each year motorcycle clubs in Gothenburg collects money that they donate to charity. This year like the previous year the money, close to 50 000 sek, were to be given to Br?cke ?sterg?rd, a daycare for children with functional disabilities. - but they do not want to to accept the money evidently because of being pressured, Clarence Granhage says.
Clarence Granhage is chairmen of the association Abate, which he describes as "a common overall trade-union for bikers".
USED TO BE GREATFUL Last Saturday, he was in the ride with 300 motorcyclists that rode through Gothenburg. It is in connection with the ride that the money is gathered. - we have donated money to Br?cke ?sterg?rd for several years and they have allways accepted them and been grateful for the money. But now they say they have been submitted to pressure and cannot accept the money.
Pressure from who? - I try to research where the pressure comes from, Clarence Granhage says.
Is this money somehow shady? - Not at all. It is common money from common working people. But somebody probably tries to get them to believe that it is, that there is something shady with the money.
How much money have you donated earlier? - Last year was a record year, then we handed over 50 000 sek, Clarence Granhage says. - Then we also took the children for motorcycle rides around on the yard. They showed us things they bought earlier, that they had not had possibility to purchase without these donations.
NO DOUBT ABOUT RESOLUTION Areamanager at Br?cke ?sterg?rd, Elisabeth Green tells GT that it is not a question about preasure. - We got information from the police that there could be links to criminal gangs among those that were coming to us. According to Green the police contacted the municipality which then contacted Br?cke.
Who made the decision not to accept the money? - It was our director Martin ?rnl?v, the board's chairman Per Eckerdal and I. - There was no hesitation to take this the decision. If there are links to criminal gangs it is an activity that we cannot continue. At the same time Elisabeth Green says that the children enjoyed the bikers visits a lot. They would sit on the bikes and go for rides. - but in the present situation we can not act in any other way than we have done, she says.
FOOTNOTE: GT has not been able to reach anyone responsible within the police for a comment.
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