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may critical mass - report and pics

rikki | 31.05.2009 21:29 | Climate Chaos | Ecology | Energy Crisis

several hundred joined london's critical mass bike ride on a warm summer's friday evening. it was one of the longer rides too, petering out at billingsgate market at around 10pm with still a hundred or more riders present.

to the mall
to the mall

visiting maj
visiting maj

park lane (one way!)
park lane (one way!)

doggie mass
doggie mass

oxford circus
oxford circus

piccadilly circus
piccadilly circus

keep moving or you're nicked
keep moving or you're nicked

doggie mass 2 (in the basket)
doggie mass 2 (in the basket)

billingsgate party
billingsgate party


the ride made a quick visit to the tamils and peace campaign in parliament square, before making a long stop at buckingham palace, where police turned up to check things out.

after some fun there, they headed up to hyde park, and police held up traffic at admiralty arch while the convoy cycled across. then a sea of bikes spread out across all lanes of park lane, but then somehow split in two, with half going up round marble arch and along oxford street, and the rear end cutting across via grosvenor square.

all were reunited on regent street, by which time they'd also attracted the attention of a couple of coppers in a car. not sure if these guys were acting on instruction or just being silly themselves, but three times they came flying through the bikes with sirens blazing, basically just to make their way to the front and hassle people to keep moving. by the third time, at trafalgar square, cyclists were less co-operative, and when little piggy threatened a rider with obstructing the highway, several hands went up offering themselves to be handcuffed too. the copper's pleas for back-up on the radio didn't seem to amount to much either, and the mass continued unhassled along the strand and up kingsway.

i heard there was an incident there with a white van man who assaulted a cyclist and then deliberately ran over his bike.

there was another nasty example of road rage at the junction of clerkenwell and farringdon roads. this time it was an irate motorcyclist. he decided he wasn't going to be corked, and literally revved up his engine, dropped a gear and ploughed through several bicycles, lurching into the air and off up farringdon road. people involved exchanged details and confirmed the motorist's number plate, and checked for cctv (there wasn't any). hopefully he'll be prosecuted.

by about ten'o'clock numbers were starting to dwindle to a little more than a hundred, and a little street party with sound system began under the awnings at billingsgate market, before people headed off home or on into the night.

apart from a couple of silly incidents, this had been a great mass, with a good community vibe, and superb weather conditions.

the mass meets the last friday of every month on the south bank under waterloo bridge at 6.30pm

there is also a climate rush mass on monday 1st june meeting at 5 for 6 pm tour of climate crime scenes - bring a blanket and picnic to share - st james square www.climaterush.co.uk

rikki
- e-mail: rikkiindymedia[@t]gmail(d0t)com
- Homepage: http://www.socpa-movie.blogspot.com

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  1. nice1 — Krop
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