Police win powers to control Critical Mass cycle rally

"The Critical Mass cycle ride through London is to be brought under
the control of the police who will have powers to ban it and prosecute
anyone involved, after a ruling today.

The legal U-turn over the monthly celebration of cycling, which began
in 1994, came after two out of three appeal judges quashed a High
Court ruling that the event was lawful.

Now police will be able to make arrests unless they are given prior
warning of the route and approve it.

The case centred on whether the communal ride, which takes place on
the last Friday of the month, could be brought under the Public Order
Act, which were requires the organisers to give at least six days'
notice of the date, time and proposed route, plus their name and
address..."

Mo

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/new...cle1821099.ece

--
UK Radical Campaigns
www.zing.icom43.net
'Those who must get around on their own power have been redefined as
underdeveloped outsiders'.
Illich

Doug wrote:
"The Critical Mass cycle ride through London is to be brought under
the control of the police who will have powers to ban it and prosecute
anyone involved, after a ruling today.

The legal U-turn over the monthly celebration of cycling, which began
in 1994, came after two out of three appeal judges quashed a High
Court ruling that the event was lawful.

Now police will be able to make arrests unless they are given prior
warning of the route and approve it.

The case centred on whether the communal ride, which takes place on
the last Friday of the month, could be brought under the Public Order
Act, which were requires the organisers to give at least six days'
notice of the date, time and proposed route, plus their name and
address..."

Mo

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/new...cle1821099.ece

So how many riders does it take to require Police permission now? When I go
out with my mates we don't always plan a route either....

Doug ) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were
saying :

Now police will be able to make arrests unless they are given prior
warning of the route and approve it.

Why should it be so different to any other similar event?

On Tue, 22 May 2007 07:20:25 +0100, " cupra"
wrote:

Doug wrote:
"The Critical Mass cycle ride through London is to be brought under
the control of the police who will have powers to ban it and prosecute
anyone involved, after a ruling today.

The legal U-turn over the monthly celebration of cycling, which began
in 1994, came after two out of three appeal judges quashed a High
Court ruling that the event was lawful.

Now police will be able to make arrests unless they are given prior
warning of the route and approve it.

The case centred on whether the communal ride, which takes place on
the last Friday of the month, could be brought under the Public Order
Act, which were requires the organisers to give at least six days'
notice of the date, time and proposed route, plus their name and
address..."

Mo

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/new...cle1821099.ece

So how many riders does it take to require Police permission now? When I go
out with my mates we don't always plan a route either....

Good question! But many mass rides do have fixed routes :-)

What a shame if the Met were swamped with paperwork from every club who
wanted to ride of a Sunday. From every parent who had to escort their
children to school. From every cycle trainer who had to do on-road
training.

Paging Mark Thomas!

On Tue, 22 May 2007 07:55:03 +0100 someone who may be Marc Brett
wrote this:-

What a shame if the Met were swamped with paperwork from every club who
wanted to ride of a Sunday. From every parent who had to escort their
children to school. From every cycle trainer who had to do on-road
training.

Particularly as they would have to do it every day. However, they
could easily do this by just changing the day of the school run.


--
David Hansen, Edinburgh
I will *always* explain revoked encryption keys, unless RIP prevents me
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2000/00023--e.htm#54

On 22 May 2007 06:44:12 GMT someone who may be Adrian
wrote this:-

Why should it be so different to any other similar event?

Which events do you think are similar?


--
David Hansen, Edinburgh
I will *always* explain revoked encryption keys, unless RIP prevents me
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2000/00023--e.htm#54

On 22 May 2007 06:44:12 GMT, Adrian wrote:
Doug ) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were
saying :

Now police will be able to make arrests unless they are given prior
warning of the route and approve it.

Why should it be so different to any other similar event?

There is a similar event?

Is it similar to a static demo? No.
Is it similar to a march? No. A march has a fixed start and end point
and a fixed route.

I also don't think that prior permission should be required of static
demos or marches either. However if you are expecting lots of numbers
letting the police know can sometimes be helpful.

--
Andy Leighton =
"The Lord is my shepherd, but we still lost the sheep dog trials"
- Robert Rankin, _They Came And Ate Us_

On 22 May, 06:56, Doug wrote:
"The Critical Mass cycle ride through London is to be brought under
the control of the police who will have powers to ban it and prosecute
anyone involved, after a ruling today.

The legal U-turn over the monthly celebration of cycling, which began
in 1994, came after two out of three appeal judges quashed a High
Court ruling that the event was lawful.

Now police will be able to make arrests unless they are given prior
warning of the route and approve it.

The case centred on whether the communal ride, which takes place on
the last Friday of the month, could be brought under the Public Order
Act, which were requires the organisers to give at least six days'
notice of the date, time and proposed route, plus their name and
address..."

Mo

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/new...cle1821099.ece

Another example of cyclists (or some) think that rules and laws don't
need to be apply to them...

David Hansen ) gurgled happily, sounding
much like they were saying :

Why should it be so different to any other similar event?

Which events do you think are similar?

Any mass gathering/demonstration - especially one which aims to disrupt the
free movement of legitimate traffic.

Which require advance notice/approval, AIUI.

"Adrian" wrote in message
. 245.131...
Doug ) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were
saying :

Now police will be able to make arrests unless they are given prior
warning of the route and approve it.

Why should it be so different to any other similar event?

Love it or loathe it, CM is no different in practical terms than the CM that
happens twice daily in towns & cities across the UK, excpet that the twice
daily ones are caused by motor vehicles. Will the Met be telling every
motorist who drives into a town during the rush hour for a pre-arranged
route in order to grant permission to do it? No, thought not. The judgement
is stupid and is subject to further challenge in House of Lords.