Cops get critical on bike mass

BY DENNIS GEISINGER

The arrest of nineteen people on Friday, Aug. 31, during a usually uneventful monthly demonstration by bicyclists on city streets may be a preview of events to unfold during next year’s hosting of the Republican National Convention.

Participants in a regularly scheduled mass bicycle ride by the group Critical Mass were arrested while riding south on LaSalle Avenue near Loring Park, and jailed after at least one individual allegedly began harassing oncoming cars, according to police reports.

“When officers confronted those disruptors, some of whom were hooded to hide their identities, they allegedly refused to cooperate and physically resisted arrest, according to Minneapolis Police Chief Tim Dolan in a prepared statement. “They were allegedly assisted in their resistance by others,” said Dolan.

According to some witnesses, police used mace, pepper spray and tasers to subdue demonstrators, many who were chanting “Let him go!” and “What’s the charge?” Video footage of the ensuing riot released by local news stations show at least one officer using an aerosol against cyclists.

“It appears that most of the actions of the officers were justified and reported appropriately,” said Chief Dolan. “However, there are some actions that officers involved reported themselves that give me some concern,” he said.

“I think that the chief is approaching this appropriately,” Minneapolis Council Member Gary Schiff (DFL-Ward 9) said. “He has asked the civil rights department and internal affairs to review the actions of his officers.”

According to police, most of the arrested were charged with third degree riot, which carries a maximum penalty of a year in jail and/or a $1,000 fine.
“The Minneapolis Police Department strongly supports citizens’ rights to free speech and assembly,” said Dolan. “However, I will not support intentional large scale disruption of traffic or assaults. Assaults on police will not be tolerated under any circumstances,” he said.

“Or perhaps it was a way to demonstrate to the RNC that protesters will be dealt with severely during the convention,” posted one anonymous blogger, who said they were the parent of one of the arrested.

As would be expected, the blogosphere erupted soon after reports were made of the disrupted demonstration and subsequent police response. Many blamed police, who were said to have overreacted to incidents that could have been quelled without the use of force.

“They just drove into the crowd and nearly hit me, it was totally unprovoked” one cyclist, who rode one of the last five bikes at the back of group, was quoted in a blog report.

“I do have concern about the way that additional officers were called for back-up,” said Schiff. He said that an “Officer Needs Help” alert went out that could have meant anything from a “need for assistance” to “an officer has been hurt,” according to Schiff.

Three years ago almost to the day, a similar, albeit much larger Critical Mass bike ride in New York City resulted in the arrest of 264 demonstrators. As reported by CNN, “about 5,000 cyclists” had joined a demonstration causing “massive disruptions” just prior to that city’s hosting of its Republican National Convention.

Again cyclists reported that they were attending a lawful and orderly event. One was quoted as saying, “It was a very peaceful, friendly occasion, like a parade.”
Some have pointed to another group, the pReNc, an affiliation of anarchists preparing protests for St. Paul's 2008 RNC as creating an influence that sparked the cyclist's run-in with police. But Critical Mass does not deny that its tactics are sometimes deliberately confrontational.

“I rode last year in a Critical Mass event,” said Council Member Schiff. “But I think Critical Mass has to better define how these events are carried out,” he said.
As stated in its web biography, the group Critical Mass “is a worldwide movement to promote the use of bicycles as a viable means of transportation.”