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Critical Mass

Since October, 1995, bike riders have been flocking to the streets once a month to protest society's dependence on cars and the resulting danger to cyclists, This is not the Bicycle Transportation Alliance (although they do similar rides) nor the city's "Bike to Work Days." This is Critical Mass, an informal group inspired by activists in the Bay Area to take back the streets.

But somehow, while the city-sponsored and BTA rides go off without a hitch, Critical Mass rides are plagued by police giving out tickets. Failure to signal turns, riding on sidewalks, coasting through a stop sign without coming to a full stop-- all of which happens on all of the rides (bike-to- workers, BTAers, and even the police*) -- cost Critical Mass riders up to $200 or 300 in fines.

In October, police, under the supervision of Officer Richard Hegrenes, tried rounding up Critical Mass riders who had finished the ride and were hanging out in Pioneer Courthouse Square. Square officials told a few people they had to get a permit because they were holding an illegal event, or they would have to leave. Frustrated by a group which has no leader, the officals brought police over who began handing out exclusion orders to anyone with a bicycle who remained on the Square. Twenty-three people in all were excluded. A few of the exclusions were overturned, but that's not the end of the story.

Many of the "Critical 23" bound together, filing a lawsuit against the police for violating their First Amendment rights to assembly. It is likely the case will be settled in favor of the riders because the law police used to justify the exclusions was found to be unconstitutional in another case.

When you add this cash layout to the hours spent by the 8 to 20 police personnel always assigned to Critical Mass rides (including the one month when they couldn't find the ride), we're talking about a hefty chunk of change spent harassing political activists. Concerned Citizens and Bikeriders United determined that since the initiation of Critical Mass, the cost to the city just for police time has been about $9000. Add that on to a big cash layout to 23 people for exclusion plus their lawyer's fee, and you wonder whether the PPB might have better things to do with their time.

* A member of Flying Focus Video Collective captured two officers on videotape in the act of riding their bikes through a red light during the January Critical Mass ride.
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First Trimester, 1995
Also in PPR #5

Portland Copwatch
PO Box 42456
Portland, OR 97242
(503) 236-3065/ Incident Report Line (503) 321-5120
e-mail: copwatch@portlandcopwatch.org

Portland Copwatch is a grassroots, volunteer organization promoting police accountability through citizen action.

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