Helsingør District Court has ruled for a permanent ban on the Bandidos motorcycle gang in Denmark. The decision extends the temporary ban introduced in May 2024 and criminalizes the use of the gang's symbols. The ruling may impact Sweden, though no clear effects have been observed yet.
On Wednesday, October 29, 2025, Helsingør District Court ruled to permanently ban the Bandidos motorcycle gang in Denmark. The legal process has spanned the entire year, based on evidence that the gang constitutes a criminal organization with a criminal purpose. Bandidos has existed in Denmark for over 30 years, with members convicted of serious crimes such as drug trafficking and violent offenses, which the court views as part of the club's activities.
Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard stated: “Freedom of association does not exist to protect criminal gangs.” Bandidos defense lawyer Michael Juul Eriksen argued that the club is primarily a motorcycle organization with a long history of community and charity, including collections for Ukraine. The ruling is expected to be appealed to Denmark's Supreme Court, similar to the 2021 ban on Loyal to familia.
The temporary ban from May 2024 has not resulted in any clear shift of activities to Sweden, according to Mats Karlsson, head of police intelligence in region Syd. “There has been cross-border mobility before, but we have not seen any relocation to the Swedish side since the ban,” he said. Swedish police can now issue re-entry bans against threatening individuals. Karlsson welcomes the ruling as an important signal: “But one should not underestimate the signal value.”
Kim Moeller, professor of criminology at Malmö University, warns that dedicated members may engage with Swedish clubs and cross the Øresund strait. Despite the ban, not all members will cease criminal activities.