FW: Update on meeting between Critical Mass cyclists and Police
Gerbasi, Jenny
From: Gerbasi, Jenny
Sent: Tuesday, June 20, 2006 2:55
PM
Subject: Update on meeting between
Critical Mass cyclists and Police
Dear Friends,
On June 16th at the U of W a meeting was held with 50 or so cyclists and 3 police officers to discuss ways to ensure safety at the next Critical Mass ride on Friday June 30th (gathering at 4:30 at Central Park)
The meeting was mediated by myself and Councillor Benham. I think it was a useful first step in providing some understanding about what Critical Mass is really about and why it is important for cyclists to be able to safely have these rides whether it be for political expression to make a point about our car-oriented culture or simply for the joy and rare experience of riding a bike in a safe environment in the city of Winnipeg.
The outcome of all this is that the police have agreed to provide a response to the concerns of the cyclists in terms of what can be expected to occur at the next ride on June 30th. I have agreed to share that info with the cyclists through the email networks. For your information, both Councillor Benham and myself intend to participate in the June 30th ride.
I have included below, today’s Free Press article which refers to the meeting and also the complaints that have been filed by cyclists.
Hope to see you on the 30th..for those that would like to participate!
In peace,
Jenny
Eleven protesting cyclists file complaints against police
Winnipeg Free Press
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Page: B1
Section: City
Byline: Bruce Owen and Bartley Kives
Source:
Idnumber: 200606200051
Length: 525 words
ELEVEN people filed complaints against city police
yesterday, alleging officers used excessive force in
stopping a May 26 Critical Mass bicycle rally in
downtown rush-hour traffic.
The complaints were filed with the Law Enforcement
Review Agency and group spokesman David Sanders
said more complaints are expected.
"There has to be some sort of accountability for the
police department," said Sanders, who appeared
before city council's protection committee last week
to petition for a new commission to oversee
Winnipeg Police Service policy.
"We need to have a police force. We need to have
someone dealing with bad people, but what's
happened here I find very upsetting."
Sanders has a law degree and voluntarily helped the
11 cyclists file their complaints with LERA, a
provincial body with the mandate to investigate
claims of police misconduct against all Manitoba
police agencies.
He has also filed another seven complaints from
cyclists arrested May 3 during a protest against the
military's Operation Charging Bison.
"The whole point of this is to avoid this from
happening again," he said. "But the chief and his
executive seem to be in denial."
Sanders said he believes police intervened in the May
26 rally because some officers wrongly believe
Critical Mass is an anarchist group and a threat to
public safety.
City police have said officers did not use excessive
force to stop the demonstration.
They claim they intervened when cyclists refused to
listen to police demands for them to follow the rules
of the road. Seven people, all men, face charges
ranging from assaulting a police officer to blocking
traffic.
Matthew Nightingale, one of the complainants,
alleged police assaulted him while he was alone in an
interview room at the Public Safety Building. He's
charged with two counts of assaulting a police officer
and one count of obstructing a police officer.
Nightingale said an officer pinched his head against a
wall of the room and punched him in his ribs and
spine.
He said in a written complaint the officer kept asking
him what he was learning from the incident.
"I kept on saying, 'Never touch a P.O.,' " Nightingale
said in an interview. "He said, 'Make no mistake.
What you got wasn't a beating. If we wanted to beat
you up, you'd end up in hospital.' "
Critical Mass, an international movement with no
leader and no official membership, holds bike rallies
to promote alternatives to motor-vehicle use around
the world.
The group, whose slogan is "we aren't blocking
traffic; we are traffic," plans to hold another
Winnipeg rally on Friday, June 30.
In an effort to avoid further conflict, about 50 Critical
Mass members sat down with three police officers on
Friday night in a meeting described as "respectful" by
Coun. Jenny Gerbasi, who mediated the gathering,
along with Coun. Donald Benham.
"There may be a lack of understanding on the part of
the police of the nature of this group," Gerbasi said
yesterday. "They ride together to make the statement
that cyclists have a right to use the road, even in a car
culture."
Both Gerbasi and Benham plan to ride with Critical
Mass on June 30.
© 2006 The Winnipeg Free Press. All rights reserved.
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