Hundreds Held in New York Anti-Bush Bike Protest

[Noodleboy13]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=564&ncid=564&e=8&u=/nm/20040828/ts_nm/campaign_protests_dc


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Thousands of cyclists snarled traffic in New York on Friday night and police said they arrested more than 250 people and confiscated their bicycles in the first significant protest against President Bush (news - web sites) before the Republican convention
snip
Friday night's protest lasted several hours at a time when central Manhattan was crowded with theatergoers and people at restaurants and bars. Traffic was brought to a virtual standstill in the chaos.
snip
Police said they arrested 264 people and seized their bicycles in the protest mounted by a group called Critical Mass, which wants to boost the rights of cyclists in traffic-clogged city streets. It stages rides in cities around the world on the last Friday of each month.




Hope I did all that right. This is my first post ever.
Sounds like the cops are really wound up. This was a Critical Mass rally, it happens every month. While Mass-ers are a fairly political bunch, I think it's a little misleading to call this an anti-Bush rally. More of just a really cool coincidence.:evilgrin:

I can't speak for all cyclists, but this particular Mass-er is not impressed by either Bush's choice of bike, or his riding skills.


I make the rockin world go round,
Noodleboy

[Eric J in MN]

1. I'm against arrests for petty offenses.

If someone appears to violate a traffic law, the correct police response is a ticket, not an arrest.

[Fleshdancer]

2. Welcome to DU Noodleboy!

:hi:

So are you in NYC? If so, stay safe. I don't know anything about Critical Mass...they do a rally every month? Really? Can you explain what they're about? I guess I could google it, but I'm pretty damn lazy on Saturday mornings. :)

[Red_Viking]

3. Welcome to DU!

Were you at the rally? It would be nice to get a first-hand account. A couple of other folks have posted the article and the reaction is consistent: The cops are freaked out, there was probably no beer can thrown, and so far the enormous security apparatus looks ridiculous. Naked people, moms with babies, and cyclists! Oh, my.

I can't be in NYC but I'm hoping to keep up-to-date on the haps on DU. Let us know what's going on. I believe the next week will be history-making.

Namaste,

RV

[NMDemDist2]

10. Check out NYCindymedia --- good "on the ground" info

http://NYC.indymedia.org

[DBoon]

4. There were critical mass arrests at the 200 LA Dem convention too

Odd that these bicyclists seem to be at the forefront of political action

[Noodleboy13]

5. I was not at the Rally, but I ride in Minneapolis Mass

Critical Mass happens in several cities the last Friday of the month. Cyclists gather in a predetermined location and then just go on a bike ride. Often there is no defined route, you just play follow the leader. We try to obey traffic laws, but safety is more important. For example, if the mass comes up to a red light, we'll stop. If the light turns red while the mass is crossing (even in a small 100 person rally, the mass can stretch a block) we will continue through the intersection in order to maintain the integrity of the mass. The whole idea is that by forming a critical mass, you are safe from traffic, it's kinda a "take back the roads" type of thang.
People will volunteer to act as marshalls, placing themselves in front of cars to insure that the whole group can get through intersections or when turning onto a different street. (cars sometime try to creep into the mix, we don't allow that because people can get hurt.)

Motorists get upset at times. Last Sept i saw a guy in an Excursion speed up and run over the back tire of the cyclist in front of him. Coulda killed him. We stopped him and called the cops but they let him off. When we told them that he had hit a cyclist, they replied "Is that a crime?"

Get on your bikes and ride,
Noodleboy

[bvar22]

8. Hi, Noodleboy.

Can't PM you, so would you post info on the Minneapolis Critical Mass rides in the Minnesota State forum? I might like to ride with you.

[Noodleboy13]

11. Done

look for "Critica Mass info for bvar22 and others."

[AndyTiedye]

6. Fell off the Bike or Fell off the Wagon?

> this particular Mass-er is not impressed by either Bush's choice of bike, or his riding skills.

Has anybody actually *seen* Boosh riding a bicycle?

[dArKeR]

7. What's illegal about riding a bicycle?

[Noodleboy13]

9. Exactly

And were the cops as concerned with any of the other Critical Masses that occured? (I'm assuming that NYC can find enough people to hold a Mass every month)

[jkshaw]

12. Seized bikes?

The cops seized their bikes, did they? These bikes are not cheap. I certainly hope they can get them back! What do protesters have to go through to have confiscated material that valuable returned to them? Especially since it appears to be (actually) the result of a traffic violation?

This really angers me. A (symbolic) arrest is one thing. The essential theft of 250 bikes is quite another.

http://www.dragongoose.com

[Noodleboy13]

14. Unless they registered their bikes, they're probably gone

Maybe if they have proof of purchase with a serial #, but I imagine returning bikes is not a real high priority for the NYPD right now.
of course, people in cars are allowed to go about their business after recieving a ticket. hmmmmm.

It has been my experience that The Man views the world like
Vehicle=money=person
bike=poor=unperson

[jkshaw]

18. Sheesh!

Perhaps if the cyclists were protest savvy, they might have made sure they had the serial number and/or proof of purchase, but if a cyclist weren't up on that stuff, I suppose that's tough for them. My daughter and son-in-law are dedicated cyclists on the very dangerous streets of Minneapolis, but they have good bikes, and I know how much those things cost. Still, they're cheaper than cars and young people can't afford to let some cop walk off them to sell later in some confiscation-type yard sale!

Well, to the devil with the NY police. They can wait until doomsday for their !@#$! raise. Let them beg the RNC for redress and see how far they get.

Also, some of those cops surrounding Starbucks need to suck in their enormous guts.

!@#$! etc.

http://www.dragongoose.com

[Fovea]

13. They hate us for our freedom

to eat an ice cream bar without guilt.
Just another Bush exercise in arbitrary power abuse, aimed at one of his favorite victims, us perfidious economic terrorists who refuse to buy lots of gas, just because it tastes bad and doesn't deliver its carbs as well as a clif's bar...

[Noodleboy13]

15. Much like a drag racer..

I run off top-fuel alcohol....
or is that top-shelf alcohol?
:beer:

It's obvious that by not owning a car and supporting the petro culture I am a dangerous terrorist.


Terror wears a dorky helmet,
Noodleboy

[CRK7376]

16. So what's Shrub ride when

he's mountain biking around Crawford? I haven't been able to determine what type of bike he rides....Laughed my ass off when the first reports came out that he crashed and was wearing a mouth guard...Who cares about his mouth...I was more concerned about the bike!!!!

[Noodleboy13]

17. a Trek Fuel 98

read all about it here
http://www.trekbikes.com/bikes/2004/mountain/fuel98.jsp

it's a carbon fiber fully suspended pro-level bike. Massive overkill for the type of riding shrubya would be doing on his "ranch." For that sort of terrain I'd go for a hardtail bike. Of course, that would require him to put some thought into a decision, which is a lot to ask.


a chimp on a bike, hehehe. Kinda like a monkey riding a dog, only not as clever.

Noodleboy