London Metropolitan Police are cracking down on a Critical Mass bicycle protest ride in London near the Olympic Games opening ceremony. Critical Mass rides take place in cities around the world on the last Friday of every month, but London police had put special conditions on this Friday’s ride due to the Olympics.
Just hours ago, Metropolitan Police had used Twitter to reiterate the conditions of the ride, even using the #CriticalMass and #protest hashtags.
#Criticalmass riders are reminded that breaches of conditions under Sec12 may liable them to arrest. #Protest
— MPS Events (@MetPoliceEvents) July 27, 2012
Participants must not enter any part of the ORN #criticalmass #protest
— MPS Events (@MetPoliceEvents) July 27, 2012
Participants must keep moving on the procession route unless stopped or directed by police or due to traffic signals #criticalmass #protest
— MPS Events (@MetPoliceEvents) July 27, 2012
Much the like Occupy movement, Critical Mass is considered “decentralized,” with no specific platform or manifesto. So, what is this protest about, exactly?
What are these #CriticalMass lot protesting about?
— Adam (@FewminBbz) July 27, 2012
https://twitter.com/thespyglass/status/228932586666356738
https://twitter.com/LMC543/status/228974004004859904
Cyclists are being “kettled,” or corralled, by police officers. Some tweeters claim police are using pepper spray as well.
https://twitter.com/stavvers/status/228964494490083328
https://twitter.com/adamdunkley/status/228975347692101632
A group called Our Olympics vowed in its Twitter profile to make “the Olympics of London 2012 the greatest act of nonviolent civil disobedience of our age.”
We're still in kettle. Stratford High St, Warton Rd junction. #Solidarity appreciated #criticalmass HUGE police presence
— OccupyTTIP (@OccupyTTIP) July 27, 2012
We are being arrested. One by one ferried into coaches #criticalmass
— OccupyTTIP (@OccupyTTIP) July 27, 2012
https://twitter.com/garydunion/status/228963587685773313
Supporters of the protest, including Occupy London and the Black Bloc, were quick to declare London a police state.
How dare the police prevent peaceful #CriticalMass cyclists riding where they want to? Not police state yet? Is it??
— Bill Linton (@BillLinton1) July 27, 2012
Wonder will BBC One report about #criticalmass & peaceful protestors being beaten up by police? Oh, forgot they are censored by the IOC …
— Occupy London (@OccupyLondon) July 27, 2012
https://twitter.com/DayMoonRoseDawn/status/228910338177916928
Police served Section 12 on non-protest bike ride #criticalmass. We have no rights any more. This is the end. #iweepforsociety #fb
— Vitling (@vvitling) July 27, 2012
You cannot assemble, walk, speak or ride a damn BIKE freely in UK today. Welcome to #totalpolicing. #criticalmass #Occupy #greenwashgold
— OccupyTTIP (@OccupyTTIP) July 27, 2012
https://twitter.com/lapocketrocket/status/228972927721287680
There’s little sympathy from some quarters.
Dear #criticalmass, Nobody knows nor cares what you were banging on about tonight. Sorry. Yours a pinko liberal knobhead.
— Sam MacGregor ?? (@samjustsamyeah) July 27, 2012
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