If the peace and quiet around Mayor Bloomberg's mansion or the forced sterility of Union Square isn't enough to convince you that the NYPD is using your tax dollars appropriately, let this arrest of a cyclist and Vietnam veteran after not breaking the law assuage you. more ›

Last week Time's Up! had their annual Ides (Pies) of March Ride, in which the environmental activist group uses clownish theatrics to protest issues such as police brutality and blocked bike lanes. This year the ride was renamed the "OCCU-Pies of March" ride, and had a special emphasis on Manhattan's banks, with cyclist-activists riding bike-powered police cars and limos to local financial institutions. Here's video of the extremely goofy street theater, which culminated in a pie fight at Astor Place: more ›

The NYPD's surprise late-night eviction of Occupy Wall Street from Zuccotti Park last week was executed quickly, with reporters kept out of sight of the park "for their safety." Also for journalists "safety," the airspace in Lower Manhattan was closed to news choppers by the NYPD [UPDATE: This is now disputed], a New York Post reporter was allegedly put in a "choke hold" by the police, a NBC reporter's press pass was confiscated, and a large group of reporters and protesters were hit with pepper spray. But after all the credentialed press had been shooed away from the park, one gutsy activist stood her ground to document the eviction. As she repeatedly informs the cops in this video, she knows her rights: more ›

Yesterday, the FDNY and NYPD raided Zuccotti Park and confiscated Occupy Wall Street's "generators and fuel from Zuccotti that posed a fire safety threat." Even the biofuels, man! But cycling advocacy group Times Up! energy-mapped the whole park and determined it would take 11 pedal-powering generators to fuel the movement, at the total cost of around $8,000. more ›

As the protests against corporate greed and the "occupation" of the Financial District continues for a third day, at least seven demonstrators have been arrested. According to Bloomberg News, two were arrested for trying to enter a Bank of America building, another for jumping a police barrier, and four more for "wearing masks in violation of a law that bars two or more participants from doing so." This law dates back to 1845 in the Anti-Rent era—a time when a wealthy few owned feudal-esque leases to maintain control of tenants. Absolutely nothing like today! more ›

Cycling advocates and animal lovers formed a likely alliance yesterday at the 4th annual Time's Up! Doggie Pedal Parade in the West Village. The group ride was intended to show off bicycles adapted to transport pets, as well as raise awareness about the benefits of adopting homeless animals. But we think the real goal here was to raise awareness of CUUUUTE! more ›

Can't get enough of Prospect Park West Bike Lane fever (or plague, as some opponents might call it)? Then join Time's Up! on its Annual Ides (Pies) of March Bike Ride—meet at Grand Army Plaza at 2 p.m. The bike advocacy group says, "Feeling betrayed by the politicians who push to remove the City’s protected bike lanes and delay the construction of safe new bike lanes that save lives? Feeling betrayed by NYPD Commissioner Kelly who allocates scarce city resources toward discouraging cycling? Then get on your bike and join us!" more ›

Environmental advocacy group Times Up! won't resign themselves to sitting and watching while some 500 NYC community gardens lose legislative protection against housing developers. Instead, at 7 p.m. tonight, they're decorating their bikes like horses and emulating Paul Revere in a ride to bring veggies to Mayor Bloomberg's mansion. The group hopes to prevent the proposed weakening of a soon-to-expire 2002 agreement made between the city and Albany, whose language would no longer explicitly safeguard the gardens against being razed for development [PDF of new rules here]. more ›

To round out the first week of Bike Month NYC, here are a couple of pro-cycling videos. The first is from last night's David Bowie bike ride, during which a group of glam cyclists pedaled and danced around with Ziggy blasting from mobile speakers. Why, you ask? Well, their ride through the East Village was intended to "raise awareness for creating a more sustainable NYC," according to Time's Up. "Bowie has always had cutting-edge fashion concepts and music ideas much like Time's Up! pushing the boundaries on sustainable change," says Bill DiPaola, director of Time's Up. more ›

You've seen the photos and heard the NYPD's half-assed explanation, now enjoy the Time's Up video of cops nonchalantly sawing off bike locks and confiscating property last Thursday along President Obama's motorcade route. Our favorite part is perhaps at the 45 second mark, where the woman shooting the video asks, "How come they don't put up a notice, you know?" The response (silence) speaks volumes. more ›

One year before the infamous bike body-slam video of 2008 cost NYPD officer Patrick Pogan his job, another cop was caught on video knocking a cyclist off his bike during a Critical Mass ride. Like Pogan, Sergeant Timothy Horohoe's account of the arrest differs dramatically from the video evidence, but unlike Pogan, Horohoe was never brought up on criminal charges or NYPD administrative charges. However, the city has agreed to pay $97,751 to settle a lawsuit filed against the NYPD for wrongfully detaining and arresting five cyclists during the March 2007 Critical Mass ride. This video, provided by the Glass Bead Collective, dubs audio from Sgt. Horohoe's sworn testimony over footage of the arrest. (For the uninitiated, what you're smelling is the unmistakable scent of NYPD uniform pants on fire): more ›

On Friday, a group of bike-riding clowns associated with Times Up! staged another bike lane liberation action, using slapstick humor to dispel a widespread misconception that bike lanes are parking lots. Dressed in cartoonish hazmat suits and acting as "agent-technicians from the Bureau Of Organized Bikelane Safety (B.O.O.B.S.)," the jokers patrolled the Sixth Avenue bike lane, treating the cars that blocked it like toxic crime scenes. more ›

For the past two weekends, bicycling advocates have planned high-profile demonstrations to protest the city's surprise removal of a 14-block stretch of bike lane on Bedford Avenue in South Williamsburg. But both rides have been severely undermined by inclement weather, much to the dismay of cyclists, media, and even the NYPD. Saturday night's snow foiled what was supposed to be a topless bike ride through the predominantly Hasidic community, some of whom are said to object to the presence of immodestly dressed women. Others, of course, are all for immodesty: "I want to see some boobs!" shouted one disappointed cop. more ›

[UPDATE BELOW] On the same day that a woman was killed while riding her bike in Greenpoint, protesters denounced the Bloomberg administration for removing a 14-block stretch of bike lane on Bedford Avenue in South Williamsburg. Approximately 15 cyclists braved the incessant rain to "resurrect" the bike lane, and according to progressive activist group Times Up, the small group was outnumbered by the NYPD. There were no arrests, but organizer Barbara Ross tells us Lieutenant Daniel Albano, head lawyer for the NYPD, was front and center. Check out this video of an absurdly long NYPD procession trailing the cyclists through the rain: more ›

After the city removed 14 blocks of bike lane in South Williamsburg, some activists tried to take back the streets—only to be arrested and for the DOT to paint over their efforts. Today, rain or shine, Times Up is holding a "New Orleans-style 'funeral procession' followed by a vigil" (and yes, the Bicycle Clown Brigade will be there). They are meeting at Brooklyn side entrance of the Williamsburg Bridge at 2 p.m. and the ride will end at a vigil for the bike lane at Bedford Ave & Wallabout St. You can share your photos by tagging them "gothamist" on Flickr or sending them to photos@gothamist.com. more ›

In recent years, the lefty activist group Time's Up has been widely associated with the monthly Critical Mass bicycle rides in Manhattan—a source of ongoing acrimony between police and cyclists. But the group, started by environmental activist Bill DiPaola back in 1987, has had a green finger in a wide array of progressive causes beyond cycling advocacy. Now Time's Up's wide-ranging agenda over the past two decades has been underscored by the recent acquisition of a trove of Time's Up documents by the Tamiment Library at NYU. more ›

A trial challenging the NYPD's classification of group bicycle rides like Critical Mass as "parades" kicked off today in United States District Court in Manhattan. Two years ago, the NYPD began enforcing a controversial new rule that requires groups of 50 or more to apply for permits when taking to the streets for processions, races and protests. The new policy gave legal legitimacy to a police crackdown on the monthly Critical Mass bicycle rides, which have been a source of tension between cyclists and cops since the Republican convention in 2004. more ›

Oh brother, this Valentine's thing is just not going to go away, at least not until Sunday. If you're single, mazel tov! But if you're a Gentleman in a Relationship with a Lady and you haven't yet made plans, it's about time to man up. Now, maybe you've got one of those "laid back" special ladies who's all down on the man and swears she doesn't want you to throw money away just because of some corporate bourgeois scam. Obviously this does not mean you're off the hook; it means there had better be something special in the works, just not a harried, overpriced prix-fixe in some crowded restaurant. more ›

As expected, NYPD officer Patrick Pogan, the rookie cop caught on video slamming a cyclist to the curb in a seemingly unprovoked assault during a July Critical Mass ride, turned himself in this morning. The grand jury indictment was then unsealed at State Supreme Court in Manhattan, and, according to NY1, Pogan was arraigned on a misdemeanor assault charge and a felony charge of filing a false report. (After arresting cyclist Christopher Long that night, Pogan accused Long of attempting assault, resisting arrest, and disorderly conduct, contending that Long rode his bike straight into him, knocking them both down. Those charges against Long were later dropped.) more ›

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Surprising no one, the cyclist who was captured on videotape being violently slammed off his bike by a rookie cop during a July Critical Mass ride plans to sue the city. In his first interview, Christopher Long also tells Chelsea Now that after Officer Patrick Pogan knocked him to the curb, he stood over Long and asked, "Do you wanna try that again?" Long also says he thinks Pogan "is going to be a scapegoat in this situation because he was in the wrong place at the wrong time...I think that the department really helped him do what he did, because he felt safe to act that way. He felt entitled to act that way. That’s the department, culturally. The department set him up for failure. He committed a crime, he assaulted me. He didn’t do that by himself." Long spent 27 hours in the Tombs after his arrest and was charged with attempted assault, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct. The D.A. finally dropped the charges earlier this month; Pogan is still under investigation. more ›

On July 30th, NYPD commissioner Ray Kelly promised that New Yorkers would be able to send video and text straight to police in a “relatively short period of time.” And he actually delivered! The image software, which cost about $250,000, also serves the city's 311 non-emergency hot line, so don't hesitate to gather cell phone video of potholes and graffiti. According to WABC, New York is the first American city with the capability to accept images. 911 callers who have cell phone video or photos of a crime are instructed to inform the operator, and a detective with the NYPD's cool-sounding Real Time Crime Center will call back to receive the images. The evidence can also be submitted anonymously (details here), and by next year photos sent in by bystanders will be transmitted to patrol cars in the area. more ›

UPDATE: As expected, the Manhattan District Attorney has dropped all charges against Christopher Long, per this press release from Times Up. more ›

NYPD commissioner Ray Kelly told reporters yesterday that in a “relatively short period of time” people will be able to send “video and text straight to 911 to increase the flow of information.” Kelly didn’t go into details about how the technology would work, but he did say that “generally speaking, it’s helpful when people record an event taking place that helps us during an investigation.” more ›