Before the start of the ride there was an unusual mingling of cycle police with participants, they normally keep themselves apart in their own chatty groups and only mingle with the ride but this was different.

During rides the police often annoyingly block the front with their bikes at intersections, to allow their van and stragglers to catch up and to keep the Mass in one tight, slow ride. Part of this compacting process involves being instructed by police to go through red lights, despite pedestrians having to wait to cross. So, how strange is it then that the police were picking on some riders and ticketing them with a fine for going through red lights? Another rider was stop and searched for drugs and another threated with arrest for not giving ID.

 http://criticalmasslondon.org.uk/