Catholic diocese near Montreal expresses regret about Hells Angels tombstone

SAINT-BASILE-LE-GRAND — A Roman Catholic diocese on Montreal’s South Shore says it’s scandalized that a tombstone was installed at a parish cemetery showcasing the logo of the Hells Angels outlaw biker gang.

In a statement to the media, the diocese said the tombstone in St-Basile-le-Grand, Que., should never have been approved.

“The Diocese of St-Jean-Longueuil sincerely regrets the embarrassment caused by this event,” it wrote Tuesday, assuring it will take steps to better inform parishes of the regulations that apply to cemeteries.

The tombstone itself can remain in the cemetery, but the logo and text on it — “Hells Angels South” — will be removed, Michel Boutot, spokesperson for the diocese, said in an interview. It’s too soon to say when that will happen, he added.

Through the years, the Hells Angels have built a reputation in Quebec as murderers, drug dealers and loan sharks. It’s unclear exactly who the tombstone is commemorating — it didn’t have any names engraved on it.

What’s also unclear is who paid for it or who authorized it. The Canadian Press reached out to the parish for answers, but its membership declined to comment.

Many locals stopped by the cemetery to see the tombstone for themselves on Tuesday, some saying they had come after hearing about it on the news. La Presse was the first to break the story that morning.

“I wanted to come take a picture of it before it disappears,” said Alain Picard, adding that he was surprised to see it in the cemetery of a Catholic church.

Rose-Aimae Allie said cemeteries should be places of peace and love, and the diocese was right to intervene.

“They’ve killed people, they sell drugs,” she said outside the cemetery gates. “That really has no place here.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 5, 2025.

Miriam Lafontaine, The Canadian Press