Police officer threatens to Taser man stopped because of tattoos in Australia

Police said the man's tattoos indicated he was part of the Rebels Motorcycle Club

The officer in the footage went on to pull a Taser on the man (Facebook)

Police in Australia have been forced to defend stopping, searching and questioning a man because of his tattoos.

Officers spotted Clayton Foelmli and his girlfriend Hayley Van Hostauyen driving in the Gold Coast on Monday and pulled them over.

A police officer is seen asking the couple to get out of their hire car and telling them they were being questioned because the man’s “tats” indicated a possible affiliation with a motorcycle gang.

“We’ve got legislation down here (in Queensland) where if we identify a potential member of a criminal motorcycle gang, we have the power to stop, detain and search you,” the officer says.

“At this moment, I’m exercising that power.”

Just drove out of Gold Coast airport, I have no club gear on at all they simply seen me and my partner Hayley at a red light noticed a 13 tattooed on my neck and pulled us over made us get out of car.. I was strip searched on the side of a major freeway by four officers and told to get on the ground? Pfft what a joke welcome to QLD Ay as soon as We got pulled over I started recording because I have been advised to from lawyer in case something like this may happen ..the other female officer tells me I can't film grabs me on the throat then pulls a taser on me ? For what executing my rights ? After they worked out who I was after checking my ID searching the car and all that the female officer in charge ses to me we will make a deal with you! You delete that footage or else we will confiscate yours and your girlfriends phone for 28days so I unlocked my phone and the female officer in charge deleted the footage! ...Well lucky my phone saves deleted photos and videos so everyone feel free to share this this is fkd up what a good start to our holiday str8 from airport and into our rental car what a joke..WE ALL HAVE RIGHTS! DONT LET THEM TAKE THEM AWAY!..

Posted by Hayley Van Hostauyen on Monday, 26 October 2015

When the man says he was not doing anything illegal, she replies: “You don’t have to be, mate.”

“So you just pulled me over because you’ve seen the tattoos on my neck?” Mr Foelmli asks, to be told: “Yep, absolutely.”

The officer asked him to hand over the mobile phone he was using to be film and can be seen pulling out a Taser when he refuses and turns towards the car, when the footage suddenly stops.

The video has gone viral, being viewed more than 2.5 million times and shared by 49,000 people on Facebook.

Just drove out of Gold Coast airport I have no club gear on at all they simply seen me n Hayley at a red light noticed a...

Posted by Hayley Van Hostauyen on Monday, 26 October 2015

In the accompanying caption on his girlfriend’s Facebook page, Mr Foelmli wrote that they were on their way out of Gold Coast Airport on holiday at the time.

He said police noticed the number 13 tattooed on his neck, adding: “I was strip searched on the side of a major freeway by four officers and told to get on the ground…as soon as we got pulled over I started recording because I have been advised to from lawyer in case something like this may happen.”

Mr Foelmli claimed that a search of his car revealed nothing and that police told him to delete the footage or they would confiscate his and his girlfriend’s phones.

He alleged that an officer deleted the footage but it had already been backed up.

Mr Foelmli’s Facebook indicates that he is a member of the Rebels Motorcycle Club, the largest in Australia.

The man (not pictured) is a member of the Rebels Motorcycle Club (Getty Images)

Its distinctive insignia is a Confederate flag with a hat-wearing scull and the group is also associated with the number 13.

While the Rebels’ constitution says drugs are “looked down on”, with heroin being particularly “taboo”, police have accused the group of being a criminal organisation after years of turf wars, shootings and attacks.

Inspector Shane Holmes, from Queensland Police, told the Brisbane Times the officer's actions were lawful and reasonable.

“When this gentleman unexpectedly reached into the car, the officers immediately feared for their safety and drew the taser as a precaution,” he said.

“It emerged he was retrieving his ID but the officers were not to know this and their actions were completely appropriate in the circumstances.”

The Queensland Police Service is reviewing the incident but said no complaints had been filed.