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Last night, the Reverend Al Sharpton participated in the monthly Critical Mass rally and bike ride. In his introduction of Sharpton, civil rights lawyer Wylie Stecklow noted Sharpton's relentless fight for civil rights and against unfair police practices. Stecklow also pointed out the Sharpton-led May 7 civil disobedience event was much more peaceful and was actually civil, compared to what many Critical Mass riders have experienced (the police didn't use orange fences to contain protesters, actually stopped traffic, made repeated warnings they would start arresting people, and processed the 200+ arrestees relatively quickly).
Sharpton emphasized unity, whether it's protesting Sean Bell's shooting or Critical Mass arrests, gentrification in Union Square or gentrification in Harlem. Video above, and here's one quote:
This is the picture they don't want to see. People of all ages and all backgrounds and all races that will stand together because as long as they can play one community against each other, they get through the middle. It's when we gather as historically as Union Square that the powers that be have to turn and buckle...Whether you're fat or skinny, gay or straight, we are all Sean Bell. We are all riding for justice.Bell's fiancee Nicole Paultre Bell thanked the crowd for their support and Bell's father William Bell struck a light note, "Justice is nice, but I just wanted to see Rev. Al ride a bike."
According to Time's Up, "The NYPD actually gave a lot of tickets last night and was in full force throughout Manhattan catching cyclists in different intersections. A lot of no bells and riding outside the bike lane tickets. Somebody actually got a ticket for parking his bike to close to a fire hydrant." However, most cyclists had a good time and are willing to risk it again next month.
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please no more stories about this attention whore.
The Reverend is right.
Jen did you get a Press Pass? if that was you behind AS with the cam, you've earned your paparazzi badge.
Definitely watch the video--it's very rousing.
How is it that Critical Mass invited Sharpton to ride? Isn't the foundation of CM that nobody organizes the ride?
I was one of the many who received a summons at last night's ride. "Biking outside the bike lane" was my charge, but I'm thinking I'll fight it because I was turning right and the bike lane was on the left side of the road. According to the law, this is allowed.
Has anyone out there ever fought a ticket like this? Were you successful?
It was totally ridiculous the way I was just cherry picked from the crowd by the cops. I wasn't be offensive to anyone, nor was I doing anything illegal. Before this incident, I was happy with the way the DOT has been making improvements to the city to be more bike friendly. But now I feel like a target, an unwelcome presence on the streets. Is that going to stop me from going to another mass? No -- it's pissed me off enough to go to every mass from now on. This city needs to wake up to fact that NYC will be much improved in cyclists felt welcome on the streets!
For all that's happening in and around New York, you devote not only one but two items to this worthless cause and that worthless sack of shit Sharpton?
Best thing about Al - he's a walking parody of himself these days.
Even better - wish this could have happened to Al at the event ....
http://www.redlasso.com/ClipPlayer.aspx?id=505eaef0-2425-49aa-a5e1-f7d694a1d70d
imagine how pissed off the al sharpton haters would be if this was posted on a weekday.
God Bless You Reverend Al Sharpton.
What about all those crane operators? Where is Al Sharpton?
isnt this about bike riding? why is he talking about sean bell?
who ever invited him should be hang by his balls.
crane operators? six stories down,
and still on this first page.
but not hateful enough because they're white.
one Italian and immigrant who just arrived here from Kosovo.
Before this incident, I was happy with the way the DOT has been making improvements to the city to be more bike friendly.
And you should stay happy about that. It's not DOT that's harassing you, it's NYPD. Same city, different agencies.
Got-HATE-ist
@bikenorth, it was pretty crazy going up Madison around 37th street. I was riding through a with a couple of other people and we get caught at the light. I look behind and 2 NYPD SUVs and 2 patrol cars pull out of the woodwork and try to box everyone in. After that we took a left on 42nd and headed into times square where we got stopped at the light with no cops in sight.
Like 5 seconds later there are at least 10 police officers on foot that were blocking 42nd street which seemed like something out of a video game. We quickly took a left on broadway and once we got to Herald Square it pretty much dispersed from there.
But yea, it was interesting. I hope to be going to next ones coming as well.
That was quite a thrilling pedal by pedal report of your experience palestine. Is there an ending to your story that has some excitement? Did you get laid or something else?
I found $5. That was the highlight of my day.
I thought Critical Mass was a hipster fad that faded away last year. Why are there still morons participating in this? Some "causes" are just a total waste of time and inconvenience to NYers. I fully support a total NYPD shut down/beat down of these dweebs.
By the way, Rev. Al, I am no Sean Bell, I don't deal drugs and try to kill cops with my car.