video observer tackled by police at A27 SF Critical Mass

Date: Sat, 28 Apr 2001 01:39:15 -0700 (PDT)
From: Jason Meggs <jmeggs [at] lmi.net>
To: SFCM list <sf-critical-mass [at] topica.com>, SF Bike List <sfbike [at] topica.com>
Cc: BFBC-Talk <bfbc-talk [at] stat.Berkeley.EDU>
Subject: poo poo at the greatest ride on earth

!!! poo poo at the greatest ride on earth

hey all,

Wow, what a HUGE ride! Was that 5,000 people
or what??? As far as the eye could see...

I am concerned, however, that the meanies on the
motomachinies were clearly up to no good again.

Some reports heard tonight on Bicycle Liberation
Radio in Berkeley (104.1 FM, Fridays 10-Midnight):

a) Police on motorcycles were tearing up sidewalks
in China Town and also on Van Ness at up to
50 mph!!!

b) A police motorcycle rammed a bicyclist (yet again)

c) Um, I forget the third outrageous thing reported

There were many more incidents that I witnessed that I won\'t recount here and now. In one, a taxi driver had reportedly torn into the mass, then the police came and pulled their billy clubs on bicyclists!!!

Of course when you mess with 10 people or even 100 people out of 5,000 people, most people still have a great time. And hey, I had a great time even though....


After the mass split into at least two huge groups
after the Broadway Tunnel, there was an altercation between a very posh ivy-leaguer family and one or more massers. I don\'t know how it started but when I got there the driver jumped out and was threatening the bicyclist in front of him.

I was acting as an observer, documenting with video.

When the massers left, I went to ask the driver a
question but police motorcycles stormed in and I
was ordered to leave. I questioned whether
I should be forced to leave, particularly
right after an incident had occurred.

The police were very forceful about this so, all
alone and surrounded by blaring motorcycles,
I agreed to go. The light turned green and I
proceeded straight. One motorcycle cut into me
and nearly hit me, it seemed like he was turning
right and expected me to do the same (I hadn\'t
signalled to turn right). The next thing I knew,
one of the many motopsycho officers rushed up
and evidently threw or jabbed his baton into my
spokes, and knocked me off my bike, then wrestled
with me to take my video camera, all over my
surprised questions of \"What are you doing?\" and
\"Don\'t turn off my camera\".

His baton was on the ground near my rear wheel
which has damage including a severely bent, broken spoke...this coupled with the rapid stop I experienced lends me to believe the baton was shoved into my rear wheel, even though I didn\'t see it and it happened so fast.

Now mind you, when cops pull over motorists they\'ll patiently follow them for blocks, they use lights, they use sirens, they use their loudspeakers. Rarely do they result to major physical intervention as a first resort.

To make a long story short I was \"arrested\" but
barly escaped being handcuffed. I was cited for
my old phony charge friends,

\"Impeding traffic\" and
\"FAILURE TO OBEY\"

and then released.

There were a large number of witnesses including
two lawyers who objected to my treatment and who
gave me and others their phone numbers. The
press showed up and evidently I became the
poster child of the arrested outlaw cyclists.

Gee, how many car commercials is my image selling?

Anyways I gave a statement but I hope it isn\'t
misused. (good luck). I then offered them the
footage of my being taken down, it\'s actually quite
humorous and then becomes dramatic, and clearly shows that I am not guilty. I showed it to 4 others,
one of whom doesn\'t go to the mass, and they
found it to show the police to be in error.

BUT THE TELEVISION NEWS WOULD NOT TAKE THIS FOOTAGE. I believe at least three of the
major local networks, definitely including
channel 5 were there.

Same old story...

One reporter asked me about the claim that there
were crying kids \"traumatized\" in the car...gee,
how about all the kids traumatized by cars in
general, whether or not they\'re on bikes!?
I\'d be traumatized if my father jumped out of
his car and started threatening a bunch of
people!

One of the most humorous, but also sad, things
was when the police came up the \"mom\" started
decrying the lack of police in the city. She
said we need MORE POLICE. Up to 20 motorcycle
officers arrived to observe my citation. Do
we really need more? Maybe if people in cars
didn\'t act so violent...ah but I\'m beginning
to repeat myself.

Back to the news coverage.

There was definitely enough material there
for any halfway decent reporter to tell a
story that showed support for the bicyclists,
even without my footage.

If anyone has a copy of the teevee news I\'d
really appreciate being able to see it.

Jason

p.s. bike rights! bike power!