Aug 31, 2007 10:41 pm US/Central
19 Arrested In Minneapolis Bicycle Protest
by Jason DeRusha
(WCCO)
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According to Police, one bicyclist escaped back into the mass of riders. Officers made another attempt at an arrest on LaSalle Street, not far from Loring Park, at 7:15 p.m. Friday. (File)
CBS
Minneapolis Police arrested 17 adults and 2 juveniles during a monthly bicycle protest Friday night.
Hundreds of bicycles filled the streets of downtown Minneapolis starting at 6:30 p.m., as part of the Minnesota Critical Mass movement. According to a website maintained by the group, Critical Mass "is, more than anything else, a reclamation of space, a demonstration to show that the city belongs to people and not machines."
The group rides in Minneapolis on the last Friday of every month, according to Minneapolis Police Deputy Chief Rob Allen. Police have been monitoring the rides, and at times, escorting the bicyclists to protect them from the traffic the bicyclists are attempting to block.
The trouble started Friday night with one bicyclist.
"Somebody was driving straight at cars," said Deputy Chief Allen.
Police tried to arrest that bicyclist on Hennepin Avenue, but were unsuccessful. In a videotape of the incident provided by a friend of one of the bicyclists, the crowd grew vocal and restless as officers tried to make the arrest. "What's the charge? What's the charge?" the group chanted.
According to Police, the bicyclist escaped back into the mass of riders. Officers made another attempt at an arrest on LaSalle Street, not far from Loring Park, at 7:15 p.m. Friday.
"There were individuals physically trying to pull officers off the individual under arrest," said Deputy Chief Allen. That's when the officers called for backup, and at least 50 squad cars responded to the scene.
On the videotape provided to WCCO-TV, an officer is seen spraying pepper spray at some of the bicyclists. According to Allen, that was warranted, because the bicyclists were being aggressive and refusing to back away from the arrest scene.
"They were set upon by a large group who started fighting with the officers," he said.
But Matt Houston, a bicyclist from Florida, paints a different picture. "I got pepper sprayed in the face, in my eyes, I couldn't see anything," said Houston. He maintains the police were provoking the riders.
The "officer was basically trying to intimidate everybody there," according to Houston. "This just really exemplifies why I don't respect police officers, because they don't respect members of the general populace."
Allen said most of the people arrested will be charged with third degree riot. According to Minnesota statute, that's defined as "when three or more persons assembled disturb the public peace by an intentional act or threat of unlawful force or violence to person or property." The maximum penalty is one year in jail and a $1,000 fine.
Deputy Chief Allen said, his department has never had a problem with Critical Mass riders in the past, and he hopes the actions of a small portion of the group doesn't tarnish the positive message the group is trying to spread.
(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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