A ride weighed down by overwhelming police presence, who mismanaged and miscommunicated. Still a success, with over 200 people showing up and taking a creative route.

1 article

Critical Mass holds peaceful protest by Gabrielle Giroday from Winnipeg Free Press

A significant police presence at a Critical Mass demonstration yesterday was bemoaned by cyclists, but only one ticket was handed out among the 200 cyclists who took part in the ride.
The 75-minute event, which occurs on the last Friday of every month to promote transportation sustainability, passed peacefully yesterday. That’s a major change from the melees that occurred between officers and cyclists at May and June rides this year, and the accusations that flew last month about bicyclists blocking emergency vehicles.
Flanks of officers accompanied riders on bikes in unmarked police cars and on motorcycles. Police were also stationed along the route using cameras to record the procession of cyclists carrying pro-cycling messages and sporting cheery costumes.
“We’re very happy to provide a secure environment for the bike ride,” said Sgt. Frank May, who was in charge of the approximately 30 officers present at the ride. May said one ticket was handed out to a cyclist for riding on a sidewalk and he didn’t anticipate ticketing cyclists in the days following the ride using videotaped evidence—as police did last month.
“I didn’t hear of any events we’re going to be ticketing people for afterward,” he said.
While many protesters agreed the protest proceeded well, some alleged police were using ongoing intimidation tactics to discourage cyclists from participating.
An hour and a half before the ride began at an Edmonton Street park, two police officers stationed outside a well-known Albert Street bicycling shop began handing out Highway Traffic Act tickets to Exchange-area cyclists for violating traffic laws.
“The police presence was very heavy,” said Nico Benger, a 36-year-old social work student who is a repeat Critical Mass participant. “When the police film everybody, they’re adding to the paranoia of the whole situation.”

3 links

Stretched for Excuses by The Rise and Sprawl: Questioning the heavy police presence at the ride and the shift in their behaviour.

Aug. 25 Winnipeg Critical Mass — Smile, you’re on camera by Tear it Down: How the police recorded and (mis)managed the ride.

Critical Mass August 2006 by Sam-bot: A Flickr photoset of the ride.

46 photographs

In most browsers, you can move from photograph to photograph by clicking the left and right sides of the popup box. (Supersecret tip: type 's' to start slideshow mode, scrolling through a picture every 2.5 seconds. This is a dirty hack that will be improved upon later.)

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