Hollister, Calif. ? Thousands of bikers roared into the town made famous by Marlon Brando’s 1953 film “The Wild One” on Saturday, defying a city council decision to cancel one of the country’s most celebrated motorcycle rallies.

The bikers cruised Hollister’s streets on personalized choppers, racing bikes and tricked-out Harley-Davidsons.

“We’re the taxpayers. We’re not hoodlums,” said Jack Stout, 51, of Gilroy, who has logged more than 40,000 miles on his 2003 Harley-Davidson Superglide.

The Hollister Independence Rally has been a summer destination for bikers for decades, much like the Sturgis rally in South Dakota. But earlier this year, the City Council voted to cancel the July Fourth weekend event, saying it was too expensive and too dangerous.

Bikers showed up anyway, though in smaller numbers. Police Capt. Bob Brooks estimated 5,000 people attended Saturday – normally the most popular day of the rally – compared to 15,000 to 20,000 in previous years.