by some_guy282 » Tue 29 Jul 2008, 22:44:01
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Prince', 'I') see you only like to tell one side of the story. These assholes have a history of problems with the police. By-and-large these are not poor innocent little bikers.
conflicts
There's no denying that there has been a lot of conflict between the CM riders and the NYPD, but I've followed it closely and the crackdown on the riders has been very totalitarian. It all started after the RNC when the ride was overtaken by thousands of riders who wanted to protest the republicans, when usually the only political agenda of the ride is to promote cycling.
After that the position of the city and police was basically, the ride was breaking the law and had to stop. Which was true, the riders were breaking traffic laws. But for years the ride had bothered no one and the city turned a blind eye to it. In fact, there was a police presence at the rides before the RNC - to help things run more smoothly! Cops on motor scooters corked streets the same way cyclists have to many complaints. But after the RNC the city took the position that they were going to enforce traffic laws on the riders. No more running red lights or stop lights, corking streets, etc.
For months after this the CM riders stubbornly tried to ride the way they had for years and were met with police resistance. Rather than just fining them for running the stop signs, etc. the way they would with drivers though, the police instead arrested every CM rider they stopped and confiscated their bikes. This went on for several months, with many lawsuits being filed in the meantime. All the while ridership declines, and eventually the consensus of remaining riders is, "Ok, if they want us to obey all the traffic laws we will." So the riders start obeying ALL traffic laws. In response the police begin issuing tickets for things like not having a bell or lights, and giving out tickets on totally bogus charges (IE running a red light when the cyclist had done no such thing).
Of course the bikers get wise to this quickly, and it's not long before everyone on the ride has a bell and lights. The police continue issuing bogus tickets (primarily for disorderly conduct). Since the NYPD had no legal ground to continue arresting people at the rides (since almost everyone was obeying traffic laws) they pushed hard for months to pass a new Parade law, which classified any group of 50 or more people as a parade that needed a permit. Eventually it passed and this was the primary tool used to arrest riders. Some time later the law was ruled unconstitutional and thrown out.
So that's pretty much where things stand now. CM in NYC has been reduced to a very small number of riders compared to what it was 5 years ago, and for the most part they go out of their way to obey traffic laws and the police department still devotes large resources to trying to stamp the ride out completely. This latest incident falls in line with what has been happening pretty closely. In the video you can clearly see the rider moving to avoid the officer. The officer moves into the rider and knocks him off the bike. The result? The rider is charged with attempted assault.
Whether or not you agree with the tactics and agenda of Critical Mass, the officer in the video was clearly out of line and needs to be punished for his actions.
In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations, and epochs it is the rule. – Nietzsche
Time makes more converts than reason. – Thomas Paine
History is a set of lies agreed upon. – Napoleon Bonaparte