A huge procession of bikies will weave through the Victorian city of Geelong on Friday for the funeral of murdered Bandidos member Ross “Rosco” Brand.
Hundreds of mourners are expected to farewell Brand at a service at the Tuckers Funeral Home, followed by a burial service at Geelong Eastern Cemetery.
Brand, a senior Bandidos member with a long criminal record, died in hospital after being gunned down while leaving the gang’s Geelong clubhouse with three other men last week.
A volley of shots was fired from a white twin-cab ute parked outside the clubhouse in an industrial area of suburban Breakwater.
The Bandidos have been involved in a long-running bloody feud with rival bikie gang the Rebels, but the Rebels have denied having anything to do with Brand’s murder.
A Victoria Police spokeswoman said officers would attend the funeral and procession, and were prepared to “assist or intervene to deal with any circumstances that might arise”.
The funeral procession begins at midday (AEDT) at the Bandidos clubhouse in Bayldon Court and will travel to the funeral home.
After the service, the procession will travel back towards the clubhouse, then to the nearby Geelong Eastern Cemetery.
“Motorists may wish to organise alternative routes to avoid any inconvenience. However, police are confident any disruptions will be minimal,” police said.
Brand, 51, had convictions for violence, firearms and weapons offences.
The Bandidos Geelong chapter has set up a trust fund for his sons, Floyd and Elvis.
The trust was announced on the Bandidos’ website today, asking members for donations.
Homicide Squad detective inspector Steve Clark has said police were keeping an open mind on the shooting and were not necessarily assuming it was carried out by a rival gang.
