Results tagged “fredaskew”

Dunh dunh DUNH! It's the most insane shopping day of the year, thanks to most people being off and feeling that the day after Thanksgiving is an acceptable beginning to the Christmas shopping season. However, some stores were actually open yesterday, giving turkey and football some competition. Some stores opened at 5AM today, others at 6AM. In fact, some people have been flying in from overseas, perhaps to take advantage of the exchange rate!

The NY Times looks at the festering squabble between the NYPD and bike riders who participate in Critical Mass by way of the police's unusually aggressive tactics to try to stop the rides. The big question seems to be, why are the police using SUVs and patrol cars, driving them onto sidewalks even, to pursue bikers? The NYPD's line seems to be that the bikers are creating a traffic mess with potential dangers for motorists, but with the renegade, almost Bullitt-like manuvers of police vehicles, who's kidding who? The Times has video and stills from observer John Hamilton that show how police cars chasing after bikers (Gothamist couldn't see it, as our connection to the Times seemed to time out). Which makes Gothamist wonder what would happen if the police used their new Dodge Chargers during Critical Mass rides.

Oh no! Two cops were injured at Critical Mass ride last night, and seventeen cyclists were arrested. The problems started when a line of cops on scooters attempted to stop the ride, and two of the cops collided with each other. The Village Voice's Power Plays blog has a comprehensive report:

Reverend Billy, Street Preacher, The Church of Stop Shopping