Arrest in peace: Moment 300 cops and a helicopter show up to the funeral of Rebels bikie known as 'Big Barry'

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This is the moment 'hundreds' of police officers were filmed watching over the funeral of a Rebels Motorcycle Club member Queensland at the weekend.

Around 100 Rebels turned out to pay their respect to 30-year member 'Big Barry' in Bald Hills, near Brisbane, on Saturday, according to a biker calling himself Stu-E who spoke to Daily Mail Australia.

The footage has divided opinion online, with some blasting the police presence as excessive and 'a waste of money', while others say it was needed to maintain order.

Footage of the huge police presence for a Rebels Motorcycle Club funeral which took place near Brisbane on Saturday has divided opinion online, with some claiming it was excessive

Cathy Rowlands, who captured the footage, said there were 'at least 300 police and a helicopter' present, while Stu-E estimated there were 400 officers and drones. 

Speaking about Barry, Stu-E said: 'The level of respect Barry had as a man and a member made me fly up from Melbourne knowing that me and my brothers would face a barrage of police harassment.

'I would have rode out of respect if I had more time. Nothing would stop us. Police should concentrate on the real criminals.'

But another club member who was friends with Barry for 40 years, and who spoke anonymously, had a different view.

The funeral was held for 30-year member 'Big Barry' (pictured), who was described as a family man who liked to play rugby

He said he empathised with the police for covering the funeral, instead blaming politicians who passed strict laws around biker gatherings for forcing officers to come out in vast numbers.

He told Daily Mail Australia: 'The government has got them [police] working very hard, spending a lot of money, to enforce these laws. It is ridiculous that they have to do it.

'We can't gather in groups of more than two, so you have to have a police officer for every two or three bikers, almost.

'The government want to make people like Barry a criminal. He was a hardworking man. He was not a criminal, he was a biker.' 

Meanwhile Ms Rowlands attacked police, calling their presence at the funeral 'an abuse of resources and power.'

She wrote: 'I have never in my life seen so many police in the one place. You can kill someone, rape a child, and not get this much attention. 

'This police operation would have cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. This is political madness gone too far.'

Some of those who commented on her video agreed, with Langa Langford writing: 'What a joke, this is what our country is turning into, a "police state".'

Meanwhile Kameren Cullum said: 'Yet in the process ice cooks are killing our kids. People are being robbed. All the cops are doing is intimidating so-called bad bikers. Leave them alone and do your b***** job.'

However, not everyone agreed. Linda McDougall said: 'Have you ever thought bikers do have big followings and some are really respected? It's called traffic control, or maybe they thought there might be trouble, who knows?

Witnesses reported seeing up to 400 officers at the funeral, accompanied by a helicopter, drones, and officers with cameras filming the attendees

'I can't see a problem with it. I'm sure if called out elsewhere they would've been straight in their vehicle and responded to whatever.'

James Juddy added: 'If another group showed up to the funeral to cause trouble against the Rebels, forcing a retaliation because the police weren't there to stop them, then the public was part of the chaos that follows.

'How many people would cry that the police should have been there? I don't know how big the Rebels are in members, but I can imagine it would be huge if a second group showed up.'

A spokesman for Queensland Police said: 'A funeral service for a senior member of an Outlaw Criminal Motorcycle Gang took place on Saturday October 8 in North Brisbane District.

'Police deployed additional officers to the District based on intelligence gathered that a high number of OMCG members and associates would attend the event.

'A heightened police presence was maintained in the area for a period of the day in the interest of safe road use, public safety and to enforce Queensland OMCG legislation.

'No offence was committed which warranted immediate enforcement action and police were satisfied with the outcome of the event.'