1,000 Mongols Motorcycle Club members expected in Palm Springs; traffic likely
Sam Morgen Palm Springs Desert Sun September 19, 2024
The Palm Springs Police Department estimates over 1,000 members of the Mongols Motorcycle Club will visit the city this weekend, prompting an increased law enforcement presence.
The group, which is defined by the U.S. Department of Justice as an “outlaw motorcycle gang,” is coming to Palm Springs as part of their national run, a gathering where various chapters of the club meet. Police say club members will stay in two hotels in the city and the exact number of attendees is not known.
“Please be aware of potential traffic delays in the downtown corridor, along Palm Canyon Drive and Indian Canyon Drive, extending to the northern city limits,” the department said in a news release.
The Mongols have visited the city several times in large numbers over the past decade, although their past meetings have not seemed to cause much chaos. No stories of mayhem or increased crime linked to the Mongols can be found in The Desert Sun archives over the past few years.
Still, the Justice Department says outlaw motorcycle gangs engage in violent crime along with weapons and drug trafficking. After starting in Southern California in 1969, the club has expanded internationally. It has a notable presence in Australia.
Palm Springs police say international members of the Mongols have visited Palm Springs in the past.
In addition to ground forces, the police plan to deploy a California Highway Patrol helicopter to monitor the gathering.
Sam Morgen covers the city of Palm Springs for The Desert Sun. Reach him at smorgen@gannett.com.
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