Culture

Cyclists’ Battle with NYPD Reaches ‘Critical Mass’

by BMCWrites | July 29, 2008 at 07:47 am

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At issue in a video making the news today is an ice hockey-style body check that a New York City police officer delivered to a biker participating in a Critical Mass bike ride Friday night in Times Square.

While, on the surface, the video appears to show a cop acting recklessly and endangering the life of the person whom he knocked completely off his bike, I must point out that there is a history of animosity between the NYPD and these bikers as evidenced in these videos: #1, #2 and #3. Watch the videos and judge for yourself.

Hat tip: Gothamist

-- Bob McCarty Writes

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Mikasi

at 17:38 on July 30th, 2008

As I have to be somewhere in a few I can't stay to watch the videos you suggest. However I feel reasonable in saying that while the police officer's move might be understandable if he were a hockey player in a game it is not justifiable here. If there is lawbreaking going on then officer friendly needs to take it up with the criminal, not some poor doofus in spandex. This poor schmoe was riding a bike and nothing more.

Such abuse of power helps me understand why Jefferson once said "The tree of liberty must be watered occasionally with the blood of patriots and tyrants."