"I wonder what made the police officer choose this particular bicyclist to knock to the ground at a critical mass rally in NYC on July 25?
Although a judge ruled in 2006 that the monthly Critical Mass bicycle rides could proceed without a permit, the NYPD's stance remains somewhat adversarial. Though the city has not been enforcing the controversial parade permit law when it comes to Critical Mass, police have been ticketing cyclists during the ride for such infractions as not having the required lights.
A representative for TIMES UP! tells us that the cyclist in this video was arrested, held for 26 hours, and charged with attempted assault and resisting arrest."
MyFox New York | NYPD Suspends Cop Over Shoving Incident Shown on YouTube:
"The New York Police Department has stripped a police officer of his badge and gun after a video posted on YouTube showed him body-checking a bicyclist who was part of a well-known monthly bike ride through the city.
Witnesses said the incident occurred Friday in Times Square during the Critical Mass ride, a monthly protest of urban reliance on vehicles.
The video shows the cop standing in the street as bikes whiz past. He begins to slowly walk to one side as the cyclist, Richard Vazques, approaches. Vazques appears to veer left to avoid the cop, but the officer seems to speed up his pace and then violently knocks Vazques to the ground in front of crowds of people.
'Critical Mass is a peaceful, nonviolent bicycle ride promoting the use of nonpolluting transportation,' said Critical Mass participant Barbara Ross, in a statement. 'There is no reason for the police to use such unprovoked violent tactics.'
The NYPD placed the unidentified officer on desk duty pending the outcome of a department investigation."
No video, and nothing whatsoever would've happened to this officer. As it stands, I'll lay even odds, that once the PR dies down, he'll be back on the force, "protecting and serving."
Abuse of authority pisses me off.
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