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1,000 Bikers Protest After Twin Peaks Biker Shootout; Nine Dead, 18 Injured, 177 Arrested

A police officer inspects a motorcycle

(Photo : Reuters) A police officer inspects a motorcycle before it is towed away from the Twin Peaks restaurant, where nine members of a motorcycle gang were shot and killed, in Waco, May 19, 2015.

Almost 1,000 bikers gathered at the center of Waco Sunday to protest unfair police handling of the May 17 Twin Peaks biker shootout between rival biker gangs. The violence resulted in 177 arrests, nine deaths, and 18 injuries.

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Preparations for the "All For 1" rally began at a parking lot near Sam's Club. The actual protest was held in front of McLennan County Courthouse at 1:30 p.m.

The rally, attended by members of biker groups like Comanche Warriors, Sons of Liberty, Rough Riders, Homeboys and others, had been silent and peaceful. The only noise heard from the members were the revving of motorcycle engines.

According to organizers, the rally was truly intended to be silent and peaceful. The protesters believe the 177 arrests that the police made during the Twin Peaks biker shootout were unfair and that the police made the arrests simply because those arrested were at the scene of the shootout, according to KCEN-TV.

170 of the arrests were on charges of first-degree felony upon taking part in organized criminal activity, reported The International Business Times.

More than 300 weapons were retrieved from the crime scene, according to Waco police, adding that this showed "criminal intent" to those jailed after the shootout even if they were not directly involved. 

102 are still behind bars. Bail was set at $1m, and most were unable to pay.

Supporters and lawyers for the bikers insist that those arrested were merely innocent bystanders with no connection whatsoever to the illegal gangs that took part in the Twin Peaks biker shootout. They added that the amount of bail is excessive.

While some have already been released following reduction of their bonds, the huge number of arrests has put the local legal system under pressure, reported The Guardian.

It has been three weeks since the shootout but there remains little information on the exact details of the violent incident, including how it started and how many people police have killed or wounded. On Friday, a prosecutor said a video of the incident "clearly shows Bandidos executing Cossacks and Cossacks executing Bandidos, some at point-blank range", the Waco Tribune-Herald reported.

Signage on The Twin Peaks restaurant had been stripped off. The restaurant, as well as an adjoining one, has remained closed since the day of the shootout.

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