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Are the Hells Angels going to Colorado?

Conservatives are hysterically spreading the claim that armed Venezuelan gangs are occupying apartment complexes in Aurora, Colorado. And not only that: The Hells Angels motorcycle club is on its way to the state to fight back.

But is any of this actually true? No.

Last week, a video of a doorbell showing a group of armed men was cited as evidence that South American migrants were taking control of several residential buildings in the city.

“Armed Venezuelan gangs of illegal immigrants are occupying housing complexes in Aurora, Colorado and are now trashing the neighborhoods,” wrote one X-account. “This reflects badly on all immigrants. Donald Trump is right.”

This claim is seemingly being spread without verification by every right-wing media outlet, from the Gateway Pundit all the way up to Fox News.

On TikTok, users claimed that both local police and the FBI are refusing to intervene, allowing gangs to run free. Some even suggested that President Joe Biden ordered the alleged law enforcement pullout as part of a nefarious plot to bring down America.

“They're here. I've been trying to tell y'all. The military-age men that came across the border are here,” said TikToker Avery Jones. “The Venezuelan gang has taken over a residential building in Aurora, Colorado.”

But despite all the fear being spread, conservatives say there is a glimmer of hope in the form of the Hells Angels, the notorious outlaw motorcycle club.

Are the Hells Angels going to Colorado?

Footage circulating online purports to show members of the gang traveling to Colorado in large numbers to keep order in the complexes. Numerous reports also claim that the Mongols, a rival of the Hells Angels, have also joined.

But despite the caption, the video shown is not from September 1st. According to a community note on X, the clip is over ten years old and was filmed in 2013.

Numerous other videos showing the motorcycle club also have nothing to do with it. This includes, for example, a video of motorcyclists in Brazil at the beginning of the year.

Other clips on TikTok make similar claims.

On Monday, Aurora Police responded to the viral rumor by saying they do not believe the posts about the motorcycle club to be credible in any way. Considering the club was supposedly supposed to arrive that weekend and never did, it's fair to say there was never any truth to that claim.

But what about the apartment takeovers? The police say that the apartment complexes shown were due to problems with the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, but the group has by no means taken control.

Aurora's acting police chief Heather Morris told Denver 7 that an investigation into the claim found it to be unfounded.

“We've spoken to the residents here and learned from them exactly what's going on. And it's definitely a different picture,” Morris said. “I'm not saying there aren't gang members in this community, but what we're learning here is that this facility hasn't been taken over by gang members.”

While many on TikTok spread the unsubstantiated claim, others set out to investigate thoroughly. Numerous users from the Aurora area drove to the area in question and also confirmed that no takeover had taken place.

In other words, while the gang is of concern because of its criminal activities, the claims made by conservatives are exaggerated and inaccurate.

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