Witnesses say the April 30 event started as usual. About 50 cyclists left Phillips Square together to "reclaim the streets," getting cars to yield as they travelled along Ste-Catherine Street, St-Laurent Boulevard, and St-Denis Street, among others. On Rachel police asked the cyclists for flyers. But when the group reached Parc Lafontaine and Duluth, near Station 38, a police van and two police cars blocked their path.

According to one participant: "One [police car] pulled right up beside one of the only people of colour on the ride and opened the passenger door right on him. As he fell over off his bike they grabbed him, handcuffed him and rammed him against the police car... Three others were ticketed and held on the corner for over an hour and a half by at least five officers while police cars blocked the crosswalks."

Bicycle Bob Silverman, who was riding at the back of the group, calls the arrest "surreal" and "Kafkaesque." When Silverman asked to be ticketed the police refused.

The fined cyclists face a total of $500 in tickets for such offences as riding the wrong way, going through a red light and disobeying police. Police ordered one cyclist who said she was heading to Ontario soon to pay a $180 ticket immediately.

Silverman says police are usually sympathetic to cyclists. He blames a combination of bored officers and inexperienced organizers for the fiasco. Being on a dark, isolated street near a police station wasn't smart, he says.

"We've ridden through that area before," says one of the ticketed cyclists. "They treated us as if we were a protest, which we were but we weren't blocking traffic - we were traffic."

"We didn't have any idea it was happening," says Lynne Labelle of the Montreal Police Department. As for the arrest, Labelle says the cyclist refused to give police his name.

Time will tell what will happen at the next Critical Mass ride, slated for May 28.

 
 

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Two wrong sides here, not one     From what I've heard and read, the police acted in an irresponsible and hard-line manner. Their treatment of those involved in this ride was unacceptable. Which is not to say that tickets and fines weren't deserved. Because from everything I read and heard, they were certainly deserved. Formal or informal, a large group of cyclists - FIFTY or so - need to be co-operative with the city, the plice, and the drivers on the road. They should respect traffic laws, and not ignore red lights, oncoming traffic, or pedestrians (a few of whom almost got hit). ESPECIALLY when traversing some of the busiest and most dangerous roads in Montreal. I am a cyclist. I ride just about everywhere. I bike to work on the Plateau from my home in NDG. I don't own a car, and rarely drive. And as much as I HATE drivers who have no respect for responsible cyclists, so do I HATE cyclists with no respect for drivers and blatant disregard for the laws of the road. Swerving in and out of traffic, ignoring lights and stop signs when there is traffic flow, ignoring pedestrians who have the right of way - these cyclists give everyone else a bad name and do noting but anger the drivers, who in turn make it more dangerous for ME, who is a safe and responsible cyclist. So Critical Mass can do itself a favour and try to be more responsible and co-operative. And in the meantime, let's do something about the overzealous police officers on the force. After all, how dangerous are a bunch of peaceful cyclists? Aren't tickets and fines enough? Why do they possibly need handcuffs and the use of force...?
Ben Kalman	{5 votes}	May 16th, 2004
Critical Mass Ride 2     I have come to believe, after reading many articles such as this one, that the Montreal police almost always takes a hard line.... That, however, does not make this clash between police and peaceful cyclists acceptable. I am still appalled at every instance I hear of police brutality in Montreal, mostly against people who are merely trying to make a peaceful statement. The police seem to always over-react. Yes, it is their job to keep order, but not to invade on the rights of others to do so. At least in this case, the Montreal Police Department is admitting some wrong-doing on their part. However, that the officers were "bored" is not an excuse, and arresting someone because he did not give them his name is definitely not acceptable. While I can not condone the behavior of the Montreal police, I would suggest that the cyclists who are planning the next Critical Mass ride do collaborate a bit more with the police in order to prevent a repeat of the the last ride. Maybe an organizer needs to be put in charge, and maybe the cyclists may have to pre-plan where they will be going. It may not be the way things were done in the past, but if I were involved, I would want to make sure that everything goes smoothly. While the Montreal Police Dept. was definitely in the wrong, sometimes actions must be taken to protect yourself.
Heather Jackson	{3 votes}	May 14th, 2004
L'auto: ça tue, ça pue, et ça pollue!     For several of years a small core of cyclists and environmental activists have gotten together once a month to spend an hour appropriating a bit of breathing and riding space in the streets of this autocentric city. It is an exhilarating feeling, riding as part of Critical Mass. Surrounded by other human-scale vehicles we strive to impose a people-powered pace of circulation. That sure beats the urban rider's day-to-day stressful and sometimes frightening experience of being relegated to a narrow strip of the avenue hoping for space and respect from frustrated drivers isolated inside their deadly 4000 lb suits of armor. In San Francisco and New York, Critical Mass rides often gather hundreds and even thousands of two-wheel activists. Montreal's manifestation is small and seasonal. At its height, three Septembers ago, we were about 90 cyclists and roller-bladers. At its smallest, in December 1999, I pedaled into dark, windswept Carré Phillips and found myself alone there. I propped up my bike against "Armed Peace", one of the four ladies beneath the perpetually pigeon-shit-covered Edward VII, and took a photo of it in the snowsquall as proof that the chain had not been broken. There had been at least one participant making a stand for bicycle power. I wasn't massive, but I WAS critical! Over the years, relations with Montreal police have seen some tense moments. Mostly because we don't apply for permits, or give them a description of the route we'll take. It does not fit into their world-view that we have no organizers, no "leaders" and that our route is usually improvised. But until now thay have let us be, probably recognizing that a few dozen cyclists riding as a block only minimally worsen the gridlock of Friday evening downtown traffic. The April incident will likely change that. The cops will surely be there this May 28 trying to put their stamp of "order" on this month's rally. That might make for a not so peaceful Friday afternoon ride. Pity!
Francisco Uribe	{8 votes}	May 14th, 2004
A Canadian's Rights     If you are not performing a licensed activity, as a Canadian citizen in Canada, you cannot be compelled to identify yourself. You are perfectly within your legal rights to refuse to tell a police officer your name, unless you are driving or something similar. Cycling isn't a licensed activity. However, if you break traffic laws on a bike, it will be reflected on your driver's license. Can an officer demand to see your license while you are cycling? Re: Critical Mass -- if you are going to be monopolizing a public resource like streets and intersection, please inform city organizers. Otherwise, obey the rules of the road! Like it or not, we have to share.
Mike Pelletier		June 7th, 2004
Where's the rest of the story?     I dunno, I'm a little skeptical about... I'm not even sure what! Were the police in the wrong? Uh... maybe? Something seems to be missing here. Three cyclists were ticketed, but for what? What was the charge? There had to be something written on the ticket. Do the cyclists deny doing whatever it was? And why did they refuse to ticket Silverman? Did anybody ask?
Karen Sollazzo	{1 vote}	May 18th, 2004
Montreal Police ACT Stupid Again     I have to say that this province has one of the worst police officers and detectives in any city in Canada. Giving out those tickets was wrong and the police who hurt a human being just because he's colour deserves to be punished in police ethics. The police should have handled the situation better because the cyclists were not hurting anybody. The police brutality in Montreal has to stop because for the past ten years it has been getting so out of hand that they should be suspensions and immediate termination to the officers who abuse their authority. The police Department of 38 shall admit that they did wrong and should apologize what they have done in this situation. This city has the dumbest police officers in the country and something has to be done.
Carmela Sicurella	{2 votes}	May 16th, 2004
Stop the blue madness already!     The Montreal Police Dept. keep stepping in it and walking away as if they were untouchable and the very vision of rectitude. They leak confidential stories to the press about upcoming court cases. They continuously get caught in scandals wherein they've overstepped their bounds and used excessive force and poor judgement, sometimes resulting in coma or death. They fail to protect the St-Patrick's Day Queen, who just happened to be BLACK this time. This list goes on and on and now they've added using borderline guerilla tactics on cyclists. What the heck is left for them to do so that there's a major overhaul off the Montreal Police Dept. already! If we're such a civilized society that prizes order and law shouldn't that particularly apply to those appointed to enforce it?
Pedro Eggers	{4 votes}	May 16th, 2004
ReCycling Recognition     If a group of Montrealers -free and democratic tax-paying citizens- want to hit the road on bikes, then they should be allowed to traverse the streets. I doubt if a convoy of SUVs would be stopped. It's getting harder and harder for the little guy to be heard. It's not necessary to have a flyer for a peaceful assembly like "Critical Mass". It's not a formal gathering. It's also not clear why a citizen would be arrested for not stating his name. And it's also not clear why a black person would be physically assaulted by police. I think we're spinning our wheels, here.
Heather Lee	{2 votes}	May 15th, 2004
Dirty blue 2     Look people, more brutal and questionable police tactics! Are we shocked? Are we ever? I'm half expecting them to resort to kidnapping babies next. What more do the boys in blue need to do before we come down on them and make them act like actual cops and not fascist thugs. By the way, the fact that the cyclist refused to give police his name is *not* an explanation or an excuse.
Juana Cabezas	{3 votes}	May 13th, 2004

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