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Violence broke out last week between Seattle Police and Critical Mass



 
 
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  #1  
Old July 13th 05, 05:25 AM
Ifoundmore
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Posts: n/a
Default Violence broke out last week between Seattle Police and Critical Mass

Taking a critical look at Critical Mass

Violence broke out last week between Seattle Police and participants in
Critical Mass, an anti-car protest group.

Cameron Chapman
Daily Staff

Last Friday, the disorganized trouble causing monthly bike ride known as
Critical Mass was the subject of a police investigation. "Mass," a
loose-knit protest against car culture, was confronted by Seattle's finest
on First Hill near I-5. Nineteen police cars, one police report and five
arrests later, the incident has turned into one of the most reprehensible
Critical Mass botch-ups in recent memory.

There is no one defined reason for participating in Mass. Lacking a
centralized organization, Mass rides are generally not advertised, and
riders show up independent of each other. Some are bike messengers, others
are frequent cyclists or leisure riders. All of them feel that intense civil
disobedience is an acceptable way of bringing attention to these issues. But
the confrontational essence of Mass was not discussed in TV accounts of the
incident or Saturday's write-ups in The Seattle Times and the
Post-Intelligencer.

For example, Saturday's Times stated, "The group turned uphill on Madison
and some of them assaulted seven officers," and that "violence erupted."
Without doubt, the diction employed in Saturday's newspapers was true, one
reporters wouldn't have thought appropriate had they done their jobs. In all
of the immediate coverage, in fact, bikers were construed as having
initiated the confrontation with police, which they did. Earlier in the
Saturday article, the Times stated the cyclists were arrested for
"attacking" a group of officers.

The TV news coverage set a similar mood. A helicopter rushed to the scene to
get action shots, the nineteen squad cars on the scene implied a riot.

The Sunday Times presented a more favorable image of Mass and was careful to
qualify Friday's events with words such as "allegedly," and "according to
police reports." However, much of the story, the side of the ride's
participants, was left out.

Friday's Mass included the usual running of red lights (without giving
people in cars time to react), yelling, hollering, grinning and slowly
meandering through the city streets. As the group of nearly 100 riders rode
east on Madison over the freeway, a police car started after them, and the
officer told us to pull over. Police have followed riders on previous rides
and attempted to contain them, but have never acted in the way that Officer
Chris Myers did on that day.

As we crossed 9th, Myers turned on his siren. The auto traffic heading east
on Madison was backed up in the left lane, so the pack squeezed through the
open right hand lane. The police report stated that these vehicles "were
deadlocked by the large group," when in fact the cars were already stopped
there. As in the past, bikers were wary of the police presence, but ignored
police commands. Most of the Critical Mass riders was looking for
confrontation.
Officer Chris Myers addressed a rider with green clothing over his
loudspeaker, and moved recklessly through traffic to get his man. But
according to witness Susanne Carlson, the man Myers eventually arrested for
assault and resisting arrest, Christopher Heitmann, was the man he
originally addressed.

The original reason for Heitmann's arrest was hazardous riding, Myers should
have been cited, too. The question of why the officer singled out this
individual remains unanswered. The police report implies the he was
commanded to stop for running a red light, while the Times wrote, "the
violence erupted when an officer (Myers) tried to stop one bicyclist who was
hitting a vehicle." According to witnesses, Heitmann did resist arrest.
Police reports and news coverage suggest that Heitmann struggled, and that
the other enraged cyclists surrounded the arresting officer, supposedly
thirsty for SPD blood, and beat the officer.

The temper of these bikers was reported by the media as it appeared in the
police report: the group was "closing in on officer Myers. The group was
very hostile and combative ... Myers directly ordered [the group] to leave
the area and clear the street." What Myers faced was a combative group,
kicking and screeming but one that knew it was legally entitled to watch the
arrest.

Many did, however, "get in the cop's face and shout at him, saying 'Get his
badge number,' 'Take a picture of this,' or 'What are you doing this for?'"
stated Nachtigal.
At about this time, other police began to arrive. As I proceeded east, I saw
several police, in cars and on bikes, speeding toward the intersection of
Terry and Madison. I heard sirens approaching from other directions,
descending upon the scene. A helicopter with spotlight circled overhead, and
Mass was turned into a media event, a conveniently constructed riot.

The chaos created by the arriving troops caused many participants to move
away from the scene. Others stayed despite warnings to disperse.

Many corroborated the violance of the Critical Mass riders: "I saw people
running toward the cops, and cops tackling them, but no fighting except for
the swinging bike incident," . Local news stated that the bicyclists had
attacked the police, but of the eight witnesses I talked to, and the eight
others whose accounts I have read, all disagreed.

'Two police officers were sent to the hospital tonight during critical
Mass,' Then I heard the ambulance chaser from Channel 4 talking on his cell
phone to his boss and they were talking about how they didn't have enough
good live footage of violence, so they probably will run the story."

The story ran regardless. Did KOMO report the extent of the voilance by
Critical Mass?
At any rate, the images on the TV and the words used in newspaper briefs set
a mood that has been extreamly difficult to overcome.
People whose exposure to Critical Mass is limited to these accounts now know
that it's a marauding biker gang, not a monthly act of nonviolent civil
disobedience.
Impressions created by the news, when based on sensation instead of fact,
are difficult to reclaim.


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  #2  
Old July 15th 05, 02:41 PM
Kym Festus
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Violence broke out last week between Seattle Police and Critical Mass


"Ifoundmore" wrote in message
...
Taking a critical look at Critical Mass

Violence broke out last week between Seattle Police and participants in
Critical Mass, an anti-car protest group.

Cameron Chapman
Daily Staff

Last Friday, the disorganized trouble causing monthly bike ride known as
Critical Mass was the subject of a police investigation. "Mass," a
loose-knit protest against car culture, was confronted by Seattle's finest
on First Hill near I-5. Nineteen police cars, one police report and five
arrests later, the incident has turned into one of the most reprehensible
Critical Mass botch-ups in recent memory.

There is no one defined reason for participating in Mass. Lacking a
centralized organization, Mass rides are generally not advertised, and
riders show up independent of each other. Some are bike messengers, others
are frequent cyclists or leisure riders. All of them feel that intense

civil
disobedience is an acceptable way of bringing attention to these issues.

But
the confrontational essence of Mass was not discussed in TV accounts of

the
incident or Saturday's write-ups in The Seattle Times and the
Post-Intelligencer.

For example, Saturday's Times stated, "The group turned uphill on Madison
and some of them assaulted seven officers," and that "violence erupted."
Without doubt, the diction employed in Saturday's newspapers was true, one
reporters wouldn't have thought appropriate had they done their jobs. In

all
of the immediate coverage, in fact, bikers were construed as having
initiated the confrontation with police, which they did. Earlier in the
Saturday article, the Times stated the cyclists were arrested for
"attacking" a group of officers.

The TV news coverage set a similar mood. A helicopter rushed to the scene

to
get action shots, the nineteen squad cars on the scene implied a riot.

The Sunday Times presented a more favorable image of Mass and was careful

to
qualify Friday's events with words such as "allegedly," and "according to
police reports." However, much of the story, the side of the ride's
participants, was left out.

Friday's Mass included the usual running of red lights (without giving
people in cars time to react), yelling, hollering, grinning and slowly
meandering through the city streets. As the group of nearly 100 riders

rode
east on Madison over the freeway, a police car started after them, and the
officer told us to pull over. Police have followed riders on previous

rides
and attempted to contain them, but have never acted in the way that

Officer
Chris Myers did on that day.

As we crossed 9th, Myers turned on his siren. The auto traffic heading

east
on Madison was backed up in the left lane, so the pack squeezed through

the
open right hand lane. The police report stated that these vehicles "were
deadlocked by the large group," when in fact the cars were already stopped
there. As in the past, bikers were wary of the police presence, but

ignored
police commands. Most of the Critical Mass riders was looking for
confrontation.
Officer Chris Myers addressed a rider with green clothing over his
loudspeaker, and moved recklessly through traffic to get his man. But
according to witness Susanne Carlson, the man Myers eventually arrested

for
assault and resisting arrest, Christopher Heitmann, was the man he
originally addressed.

The original reason for Heitmann's arrest was hazardous riding, Myers

should
have been cited, too. The question of why the officer singled out this
individual remains unanswered. The police report implies the he was
commanded to stop for running a red light, while the Times wrote, "the
violence erupted when an officer (Myers) tried to stop one bicyclist who

was
hitting a vehicle." According to witnesses, Heitmann did resist arrest.
Police reports and news coverage suggest that Heitmann struggled, and that
the other enraged cyclists surrounded the arresting officer, supposedly
thirsty for SPD blood, and beat the officer.

The temper of these bikers was reported by the media as it appeared in the
police report: the group was "closing in on officer Myers. The group was
very hostile and combative ... Myers directly ordered [the group] to leave
the area and clear the street." What Myers faced was a combative group,
kicking and screeming but one that knew it was legally entitled to watch

the
arrest.

Many did, however, "get in the cop's face and shout at him, saying 'Get

his
badge number,' 'Take a picture of this,' or 'What are you doing this

for?'"
stated Nachtigal.
At about this time, other police began to arrive. As I proceeded east, I

saw
several police, in cars and on bikes, speeding toward the intersection of
Terry and Madison. I heard sirens approaching from other directions,
descending upon the scene. A helicopter with spotlight circled overhead,

and
Mass was turned into a media event, a conveniently constructed riot.

The chaos created by the arriving troops caused many participants to move
away from the scene. Others stayed despite warnings to disperse.

Many corroborated the violance of the Critical Mass riders: "I saw people
running toward the cops, and cops tackling them, but no fighting except

for
the swinging bike incident," . Local news stated that the bicyclists had
attacked the police, but of the eight witnesses I talked to, and the eight
others whose accounts I have read, all disagreed.

'Two police officers were sent to the hospital tonight during critical
Mass,' Then I heard the ambulance chaser from Channel 4 talking on his

cell
phone to his boss and they were talking about how they didn't have enough
good live footage of violence, so they probably will run the story."

The story ran regardless. Did KOMO report the extent of the voilance by
Critical Mass?
At any rate, the images on the TV and the words used in newspaper briefs

set
a mood that has been extreamly difficult to overcome.
People whose exposure to Critical Mass is limited to these accounts now

know
that it's a marauding biker gang, not a monthly act of nonviolent civil
disobedience.
Impressions created by the news, when based on sensation instead of fact,
are difficult to reclaim.



Seems like the story has been touched up some, but about 1/3 of the riders
were drunk or on drugs and quite mean.
I left after a few miles. I knew they were looking for serious trouble.
Some of them said they had guns and knifes.
I will NEVER ride with them again, or support them in any way.
It was fun in the old days, but these new punks don't care at all.


  #3  
Old July 16th 05, 05:57 AM
Dennis P. Harris
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Violence broke out last week between Seattle Police and Critical Mass

On Fri, 15 Jul 2005 08:41:04 -0500 in rec.bicycles.soc, "Kym
Festus" wrote:

Seems like the story has been touched up some, but about 1/3 of the riders
were drunk or on drugs and quite mean.


not even a GOOD troll.


 




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