MONTREAL — A new tombstone featuring the logo of the Hells Angels has sparked controversy in a parish cemetery on Montreal's South Shore. The name Normand Labelle, known as "Billy," was engraved on the large black stone, which also includes the years 1955 to 2025. The engraving took place on Thursday afternoon in St-Basile-le-Grand, Quebec.

The appearance of the tombstone has caused embarrassment for the local Roman Catholic diocese. The stone prominently displays the words "Hells Angels South" alongside the gang's winged skull logo. The St-Jean-Longueuil diocese expressed its dismay on Tuesday, stating it was "scandalized" by the tombstone, which it claimed should not have been approved. The diocese has committed to removing the logo and text but will allow the tombstone itself to remain in the cemetery.

Labelle is recognized as a founding member of the Montreal chapter of the Hells Angels, which was established in 1977. He later formed the South Shore chapter in 1997. In April 2009, Labelle was arrested during Operation SharQc, a significant police initiative aimed at dismantling the Hells Angels in Quebec. This operation led to the indictment of 156 individuals connected to the gang, following a violent territorial conflict that resulted in over 160 deaths between 1994 and 2002.

Labelle faced 29 charges, including multiple counts of first-degree murder and drug trafficking, as well as conspiracy to commit murder. However, a 2014 ruling by the Quebec Superior Court indicated that there was no direct evidence linking him to any murders. Media reports from that time noted that Labelle was among those arrested during Operation SharQc who pleaded guilty in 2015 to conspiracy to commit murder. At the age of 59, he received a nine-month prison sentence, which included time already served.

On Friday, a spokesperson for the diocese stated that there was no new information regarding the engraving on the tombstone. Michel Boutot said in an email, "I have no news about what is happening on the ground, except that the diocese's lawyers are working on this case." The diocese has not provided a timeline for when the logo will be removed.