Cycling for free speech
Pro-bicycle advocates in New York City got to mix a little free-speech activism in with their pedaling last week. The city has tried and failed to shut down the monthly Critical Mass group rides through the Rotten Apple's streets, so the NYPD tried another tactic: A new rule requiring any assembly of 50 or more people to get a permit to gather in public.
To their credit, the cyclists didn't knuckle under, but jumped on their two-wheelers in defiance of the restriction. Many even wore shirts numbered from 1-50 so the police couldn't miss the point of the protest.
The police didn't oblige by handing the cyclists a First Amendment court case. According to The Village Voice:
This being New York City, the cops even found time to rough up one cyclist.
street polo -- with a cyclist as the ball.
But I'm always impressed when people stand up for their rights. The authorities need to know that a good chunk of the population is willing to stare them down over intrusive and oppressive laws.
As Councilwoman Rosie Mendez said, "To criminalize the behavior of individuals assembling in groups over 50 is arbitrary and unconstitutional."
The powers-that-be won't get away with pulling a fast one if enough people stand up to them.
To their credit, the cyclists didn't knuckle under, but jumped on their two-wheelers in defiance of the restriction. Many even wore shirts numbered from 1-50 so the police couldn't miss the point of the protest.
The police didn't oblige by handing the cyclists a First Amendment court case. According to The Village Voice:
Rather the cops hit people up for a host of minor traffic violations like failing to keep to the right, not having a headlight, or not riding in the bike lane—even though there is no bike lane on Park Avenue.
This being New York City, the cops even found time to rough up one cyclist.
Things did get a bit nastier uptown. One 21-year old woman was charged with felony assault for "kicking, punching, and biting several officers" after they wrestled her to the ground in Times Square. She was also charged with criminal possession of a folding knife and resisting arrest. According to activists who videotaped the incident, the woman was on the sidewalk taking close-ups of police and their badges when she was "violently knocked to the ground" by half a dozen police officers. Police declined to comment on that allegation, saying only, "she was arrested for assaulting an officer."Having lived in Manhattan for much of my life, I can't begin to see the attraction of bicycling through the city's streets on a regular basis. Too many drivers there will happily play
street polo -- with a cyclist as the ball.
But I'm always impressed when people stand up for their rights. The authorities need to know that a good chunk of the population is willing to stare them down over intrusive and oppressive laws.
As Councilwoman Rosie Mendez said, "To criminalize the behavior of individuals assembling in groups over 50 is arbitrary and unconstitutional."
The powers-that-be won't get away with pulling a fast one if enough people stand up to them.
Labels: free speech
posted by J.D. Tuccille at
8:58 AM
2 Comments:
The Critical Mass bike group is a bunch of radical environmental extremists who hate cars and want to see them banned. The purpose of their bike outings is to clog up the roadways and impede auto traffic. They are not friends of freedom, and what they are doing isn't just speech. I'm not justifying police brutality against them, but how do you deal with a group like this?
I wasn't aware that Critical Mass was actually out to clog up the roads -- that certainly puts a different spin on the matter. I would think, though, that there are already laws against impeding the flow of traffic. Enforcing those would be a better approach than requiring what are effectively licenses for engaging in free speech -- and thereby turning troublemakers into martyrs.
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