Mass arrests 'Critical Mass' cycle ride during Olympics opening

[lordloveaduck]

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London police have made arrests and used pepper spray against the “Critical Mass” cycle ride, as the British capital kicks off the opening ceremony of the 2012 Summer Games.
Critical Mass ride regularly in London, and they decided to continue to do so, despite the opening of the London Olympics this evening. On the Critical Mass website it states:
"Most London cyclists will know about the regular monthly Critical Mass ride this evening. Many will also know that the police seem concerned about it, because of all the Olympic traffic. It might be assumed that, as usual, the mood of Critical Mass will be to peacefully assert the right of cyclists to travel safely wherever they want in London. But in case the police – who normally leave Critical Mass alone – were to decide to intervene this month, it would be good to have lots of people prepared to be peacefully assertive."

Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/329482#ixzz21rdnOBcP​

 

[MrJamie]

Can't see it ever doing anything positive for cycling and that quote implies theyre looking for confrontation.

 

[lordloveaduck]

I am sure that the Critical Mass crowd had to know that the police would not let
them carry on with this monthly event.
The whole world (or those who care to) is watching, of course this is going to happen.

 

[classic33]

No numbers visible on the uniforms I note.

 

[lordloveaduck]

Gosh! I never noticed that.

 

[Cubist]

No numbers visible on the uniforms I note.

Yes there are. Look again. The officers wearing body armour have numbers on sliders on the vests themselves.

 

[Keith Oates]

I'm not convinced that CM is doing any good for the cyclists cause at the best of times, but doing it this week in London is just sheer stupidity!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[lordloveaduck]

Why pepper spray a chap who can't get out of a chair?

 

[yello]

Sometimes people do themselves no favours.

 

[Arch]

I'm not convinced that CM is doing any good for the cyclists cause at the best of times, but doing it this week in London is just sheer stupidity!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Me too. I went on one in York, and couldn't see the point, never bothered again.

You have to wonder how provoking the police like that is benefitting cycling and reclaiming the streets, which I thought was the idea. I suspect a load of folk with other agendas who just happen to also be on bicycles..

If it was a bunch of cabbies or bus drivers trying to make a statement about freedom of access, we'd be calling them all sorts of names...

 

[lordloveaduck]

The police woman was trying to protect the man in the chair, she even grabed the other officer (in yellow) wrist.
I do not know what happend before the video but from what the clip shows me the male officer was loseing it in a big
way.

Odd there is hardly any news on these events.

 

[ASC1951]

Critical Mass ride regularly in London, and they decided to continue to do so, despite the opening of the London Olympics this evening.

Self indulgent tossers with a loony anarchist fringe.

 

[Linford]

The biggest bunch of bell ends you might ever have the misfortune to come across.

What is all this shyte about 'reclaiming the streets' ? - they never belonged solely to cyclists in the first place.....

 

[Arch]

The biggest bunch of bell ends you might ever have the misfortune to come across.

What is all this shyte about 'reclaiming the streets' ? - they never belonged solely to cyclists in the first place.....

My abiding memory of the one I went one was the painfully slow progress for all of us!

I understand their aim, but for me it just doesn't work. To be fair, in York, cyclists don't need to reclaim the streets much, there are a lot of us, and the streets are just better suited to cycling than anything else.

 

[Linford]

My abiding memory of the one I went one was the painfully slow progress for all of us!

I understand their aim, but for me it just doesn't work. To be fair, in York, cyclists don't need to reclaim the streets much, there are a lot of us, and the streets are just better suited to cycling than anything else.

The biggest problem with London is that it is too overcrowded. Irrespective of how people get about, they are all going to hold others up at some point - but to then without any sort of valid message to deliberately go out to obstruct others who are just minding their own business really demonstrates a selfish and spiteful soul.