Critical Mass Bike Rides Face Police Crackdown

[proud2BlibKansan]

Cycling advocates have faced targeted surveillance and policing over the past year. We bring you excerpts from the documentary "Still We Ride," which traces the police crackdown on Critical Mass bike rides in New York City since the Republican National Convention. The ad hoc bicycle advocacy movement Critical Mass consists of monthly group bike rides in cities around the world. In New York City, the rides have been specially targeted by NYPD officers in uniform and in plain clothes.

Last August, when thousands descended on New York for the Republican National Convention, over three thousand bicyclists and skaters participated in a Critical mass ride on the eve of the start of street protests. That night, police moved in on the bikers and arrested hundreds. Over a week and a half surrounding the RNC, police arrested nearly 400 bike riders.

Since then, activists and civil liberties groups say the City of New York has been targeting bicyclists and Critical Mass in particular. Police presence at rides includes plain clothes officers who videotape riders without identifying themselves as members of the NYPD.

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=05/12/27/144...

[ixion]

1. crackdown? FOR WHAT?? They're not breaking any laws

This is such an obvious case of harassment. They have no right to gather information on peaceful groups like this.

[proud2BlibKansan]

I agree

There is a video at the link.

[asthmaticeog]

2. About two and a half years ago, in Cleveland,

Our Crit Mass ride got surrounded by police cars and about 30 of us were arrested and/or ticketed en masse for trivial offenses or even non-offenses. Many were cited for blocking traffic, but by the very laws that the cops are charged with enforcing, cyclists ARE traffic. City Council and the Planning Department went ballistic over the abuse of police power (the city plannng director at the time himself commuted to work on a bycicle), but they couldn't get anyone off. Rides after that little cop-gasm never got much bigger than 45 cyclists - hardly a "critical mass." And they were all videotaped - openly, not even covertly - with "security" being the stated justification.

[Mountainman]

3. What is the purpose of cruitical mass? Is it not to obstruct traffic?

I believe the intent is to cause a reaction so why get pissed when it does?

[Rich Hunt]

4. that is NOT the purpose

The purpose of CM is to assert bicyclists' right to the road. They do not 'block traffic', as they say, 'we ARE traffic'.

Sometimes the groups are so large that they have to go through a red light en masse. However, if the people at the front of the mass come to a red light, they are not to go through it - this is only if the light changes while the mass is progressing.

You might ask why some people get so upset at the mass when the ride is once a month.

The intent is NOT to 'cause a reaction'. It would be nice if people would ASK what we're about instead of assuming things. I am a commuting cyclist and ride in the mass to join in other cyclist in raising awareness of cycling as a legitimate, legal fun and healthy form of transportation. We have the right to ride to work, to friends houses, to shopping, etc. without harassment from cars and trucks. As someone who was nearly killed by people using a vehicle as a weapon, I'd prefer the blame be affixed where it belongs - not on peaceful cyclists who work to reduce congestion and pollution. But the main reason I started riding in the mass was because I was already a commuter, and I thought it sounded like fun and a good way to see the neighborhoods where I live.

[Mountainman]

5. I support all of the rights you want but the reality is that critical mass

is upsetting to people. IMHO you hurt your cause that way.

Personally I share the road with cyclists, I even wave hello to them.

[Fredda Weinberg]

6. Unless its a funeral procession

You have no right to go through a red light "en masse".

[Solo_in_MD]

7. Concur

I ride M/Cs and bicycles both for transportation and recreation. I have cringed at the news stories about CM blocking intersections and the like. CM may be doing more harm than good in some regards.