Court rules Comanches MC is continuation of banned Satudarah

Oslo District Court has ruled that Comanches MC is a continuation of the banned Satudarah motorcycle club, convicting three men in a landmark case, Dagbladet reports.

The court found it proven beyond reasonable doubt that Comanches MC perpetuates the outlawed group, which Norway’s Supreme Court banned in 2024 for its primary purpose of committing crime. This is the first time a Norwegian court has applied this criminal provision.

A man in his 50s, former president of Satudarah Stavanger, was sentenced to 18 months in prison. Two other members received 10-month sentences. A fourth man, the alleged Oslo president, had his case postponed pending a new psychiatric evaluation, though the court concluded he too had continued the banned club.

The ruling cites a 2025 conflict between Comanches and a rival criminal group, noting that the nature of the threats and violence mirrors that of Satudarah. Evidence included a May 2025 incident where a video referenced “Barna til satu” (“Children of Satu”), with the court interpreting “satu” as a direct link to Satudarah.

In May, police raided a Comanches gathering at Frognerstranda kro in Oslo, arresting 27 people, including former Satudarah leaders, for participation in the club. The court incorporated this event into the charges.

Danish journalist Carsten Norton, an expert on motorcycle gangs, told Dagbladet that Comanches distinguishes itself as an international, multiethnic club with expansionist ambitions. Originally a Danish street gang, it joined Satudarah in 2013 before breaking away in 2023 to rebrand as Comanches.

Norton added that such gatherings, or “runs,” are traditional in biker culture, serving both as social events and displays of power. Group photos, he said, are part of projecting the club’s size and influence.