[Imc-uk-features] Feature proposal on developments with Critical Mass

[Roy Bard]

Hi peeps

I would like to propose a feature for London and uk on the developments
at Friday's Critical Mass

Suggestion for text:

Title: London Critical Mass under threat.

Abstract:

</p>On Friday, those who joined <a
href="http://www.criticalmasslondon.org.uk/">London's</a> monthly <a
href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critical_Mass">Critical Mass</a>
ride, found themselves being issued with <a
href="http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2005/10/324763.html">letters</a>
from the Metropolitan Police, threatening arrests at future Critical
Mass rides, unless the 'organisers' give notice of the route at least
six days in advance, and warning that the police can impose restrictions
on the rides once the advance notice has been given.</p>

<p>Londoners have held regular Critical Mass rides for the past eleven
and a half years, and those who have been on them will know that rides
are escorted by coppers on bikes and mootor cycles. It seems unlikely
that the police do not understand that their demands are an attack on
the very foundations of Critical Mass itself, which can best be
described as an <a
href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/london/travel/features/cycling/criticalmass.shtml">
"unorganised coincidence".</a> As the ride's <a
href="http://www.criticalmasslondon.org.uk/critical-mass-london/a-cm-faq.php">website
FAQ</a> notes:</p>

<p><blockquote>Nobody organises CM in the sense that they control the
event - what happens at the ride is up to all the individuals. However,
as with any project, some individuals are usually more involved than
others, for example in printing and distributing leaflets and other
publicity, or maintaining this website ;). However, they only do the
work, and don't have any authority over anybody else - their only power
is to make suggestions. </blockquote></p>

Body:

<p>Critical Mass rides are held in many cities across the globe, and if
there is any one aim, it is a shared wish to see less car-dominated
cities and more people cycling. The hallmark of the event is the
bringing together of a wide spectrum of cyclists in an spontaneous
'disorganisation' which is not dominated by any political ideology
,party, organisation or individual. Any attempt to meet the requirements
of the letter would mean that the basic foundations of Critical Mass
would be threatened. London Critical Mass however is not alone in facing
challenges.</p>

<p>For some months now, cyclists on <a
href="http://www.times-up.org/cm.php">New York's</a>  Critical Mass
rides, have been subject to mass <a
href="http://overstated.net/05/01/31-nyc-bicycle-abuse">arrests</a> with
police using tactics such as placing nets across the road and arresting
everyone inside the nets.</p>

<p>New Yorkers have persisted with the rides in the face of the arrests
and repression and many of those who have gone to court on the charges
have been <a
href="http://nyc.indymedia.org/en/2005/09/57328.html">exonerated</a>
Only time can tell how Londoners will deal with the challenge to their
monthly ride, but already calls are going out for the next ride (Friday
October 28th) to be the biggest ride yet.</p>

Links:

<p><h3>Links:</h3></p>

<p><a href="http://www.criticalmasslondon.org.uk/index.php">London
Critical Mass website</a><br>
<a href="http://lists.riseup.net/www/arc/cm-london">London Critical Mass
elist archive</a><br>
<a href="http://nyc.indymedia.org/en/2005/09/57328.html">New York City
Indymedia coverage of Critical Mass</a><br>
<a href="http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2005/05/311053.html">London
Critical Mass 11th Birthday Video </a><br>
<a
href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/london/travel/features/cycling/criticalmass.shtml">BBC
article on London Critical Mass's 10th Birthday</a><br>
<a href="http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2005/10/324826.html">Coverage of
Nottingham's October Critical mass</a></p>

suggested image attached :)
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: copsoff.jpg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 31470 bytes
Desc: not available
Url : http://lists.indymedia.org/pipermail/imc-uk-features/attachments/20051002/44180269/attachment.jpg