Update:
NEW YORK (CBS) ― A New York City police officer was stripped of his gun and badge Monday after he was caught on video slamming a cyclist in motion to the ground. The cyclist was among over a hundred other “Critical Mass” riders passing through Times Square Friday evening, when witnesses say — and as a video posted on YouTube shows — two officers approach him. What happens next is disturbing. One of the officers intercepts the rider, identified as Christopher Long of Bloomfield, N.J., and apparently deliberately shoves him hard as he rides by, sending the cyclist hard to the pavement.
Craig Radhuber was taking part in the ride, and witnessed the incident. “And the one spun around, saw a bicyclist and grabbed him off his bicycle. And then the other policeman jumped on top of him and the two were wrestling, wrestling this guy down trying to arrest him,” he told CBS 2. Radhuber had not yet seen the video until CBS 2 showed it to him. “Wow!” he said watching it for the first time. “I was so upset when I saw this thing happen.” Police have placed the officer, identified as Patrick Pogan, on desk duty pending the outcome of a department investigation. Pogan told officials that Long was obstructing traffic and that the biker was actually trying to run him down.
Long, 29, was charged with attempted assault, resisting arrest, and disorderly conduct.
Here’s a clue to the idiot cop: Cameras are EVERYWHERE MORON, and they can be used against you too! The fact that they can charge the rider with assault just shows how corrupt the system is.
Found by Pete.
It looks as though this particular rider was targeted. Why? The video does not answer this. I am not defending the police I did not here any of the officer’s ask him to stop. But maybe they did.
Looks to me like there was some reason that guy was targeted. Both cops automatically started moving toward him simultaneously as he approached. He must have done something to warrant the take-down.
From Wikipedia:
New York City
Police in New York have claimed that Critical Mass bicyclists corking intersections to allow the mass of bikes to pass may delay emergency vehicles unable to move in the gridlock.[14] Motorists driving cars on cross streets cannot practicably move over to the side of the streets in the way a bicyclist can due to the length and square footage of a car, and current traffic lane configurations on Manhattan streets which, at present, allow parking and driving of private automobiles in some areas.
New York City – July 25, 2008
A rookie NYPD cop was stripped of his badge and gun on Monday after a stunning video captured him slamming a bicyclist to the ground in an apparently unprovoked attack.
Corking
Because Critical Mass takes place without an official route or sanction, participants practice a tactic known as “corking” in order to maintain the cohesion of the group. This tactic consists of a few riders blocking traffic from side roads so that the mass can freely proceed through red lights without interruption. Corking allows the mass to engage in a variety of activities, such as forming a cyclone, lifting their bikes in a tradition known as a “Bike Lift” (in Chicago this is referred to as a Chicago hold-up), or to perform a “die-in” where riders fall lie on the ground with their bikes to symbolise cyclist deaths and injuries caused by automobiles, very popular in Montreal. The ‘Corks’ sometimes take advantage of their time corking to distribute flyers.
Critics argue that the practice of corking roads in order to pass through red lights as a group is contrary to Critical Mass’ claim that “we are traffic”, since ordinary traffic (including bicycle traffic) does not usually have the right to go through intersections once the traffic signal has changed to red, unless issued with a specific permit or residing in jurisdictions where bicyclists have this right such as in Idaho, where State law recognizes such riding.[17] Corking has sometimes translated into hostility between motorists and riders, even erupting into violence and arrests of motorists and cyclists alike during Critical Mass rides.
One of the bystanders on the sidewalk could have been hurt as well.
Can’t see what may have happened off camera, two cops were moving toward the guy. I have to side with the cop on this one, the assholes were taking to entire street.
So…the cop clearly speeds up to meet the new path the bike tries to take to avoid him.
IF you are going to make the argument that the police officer was simply a pedestrian…
one…he was standing in the middle of the street not crossing and within a distance to a cross walk that in might be considered illegal crossing…but he was not crossing…he was loitering in the middle of the street, in traffic. Clearly causing the flow of traffic to be altered.
You might also be able to make a case for a felony charge against the officer if you could prove it was malicious destruction of property beyond NY’s defined dollar amount. 😛
From the tape it looks unprovoked. There was not even a request to stop…thus not evading arrest, since the biker had not been notified that the officer had intent to arrest or detain. Also were any bystanders hurt in the altercation? It doesn’t seem to well thought out. I would make a case that the officer is unable to perceive linked consequences for his actions.
It is such a thin line between being able to protect yourself from unlawful force of an officer …and a felony…
If the biker had physically harmed someone off screen and the officer “believed” the biker would be a harm to others if not immediately detained…then he is “justified” but with the video alone…wtf..
Now what “statues” prevent a bike from riding on the street? We don’t have those in my town/state. In fact I wish the police would enforce treating bicycles as any other motor vehicle, make them ride with traffic, have lights and use signaling. I have heard of needing a permit if you are a group of more than 20 heading in the same direction though… 2600.org had something on a podcast about it.
Looks like the cop is a loose cannon. His only excuse, that the guy was trying to run him down, is pathetic. In this case, the cop’s the asshole… although Critical Mass really sucks.
As disgusting as that incident is (I have no doubt the cop intended to push the cyclist from the start), the fact remains that pedestrians have the right of way, the cyclist should have come to a stop and not swerved. Bicyclists pound on cars all the time in big cities when similar things happen to them
I am not defending the cop, or the asshole on the bike.
I am a reserve duty city cop, I know a lot of cops. They frequently do stupid things and then get protected. So in this case, a rookie cop (a young bull) is subject to watching a large number of massholes flouting the law, probably being verbally abusive as they pass. When the crowd thins, he decides to take one down. I understand it perfectly. But it is still stupid.
This is why you do not do stupid things in front of a cop or challenge their authority. THEY WILL assert their dominance over you, at least most of them will.
How many cops does it take to push a black guy down a flight of stairs?
None, he fell.
Told to me by a cop.
Gee, and I thought all cops are just like the one depicted on the show COPS. I bet this will not make the cut for next season.
So how long to these things usually last and disrupt traffic? Ten minutes? One hour? Three days?
#39: you say you don’t take sides, but you call the paranoid imbecil a cop and the biker an asshole.
fuck you all, car loving freaks. car should be forbidden in manhattan!
and if a cop can’t handle his job he should be kicked. if #39 is proud of his job he should kick this guy in the nuts for screwing the name of the police-force.
#43 “fuck you all, car loving freaks. car[sic] should be forbidden in manhattan[sic]!”
Hmmm. Sounds like one of those bikers from Critical Mess.
@laxdude
I agree with you. I have yet to meet a cop that wasn’t a bully. Cops are number three on my shit list behind politicians and prosecutors (politicians in training).
#19. Yeah, sure.
What I find really scary is all the incidents like this that aren’t caught on camera. If it’s your word against a cop’s, who is going to be believed?
And yes, I believe the interpretation that the action by the policeman was unprovoked. He claimed that the bicyclist was trying to run him down. Kind of hard to believe that, given that he actually had to walk a couple of feet over to the bicyclist’s path to push him over.
On the other hand, these demonstrations are a royal pain in the ass. I agree that drivers need to be more responsible in sharing the road with cyclists, but there are many cyclists who completely ignore the rules of the road and get very nasty if they think you’re not giving them their due.
One time a lovely cyclist who didn’t feel that I gave him the proper respect, called me the “c” word and, looking at my license plate, told me he was going to hunt me down.
Critical Mass is the wrong execution of the right message. Bikes are traffic and have the same rights to the road as cars. That said, cyclists need to follow the rules – just like cars. The purpose of critical mass is to raise awareness of cyclists and their rights, but the cyclists’ presence would still be felt (and tolerated a lot better) if they obeyed the traffic laws while it was going on.
That said, the cop was dead wrong and I hope he spends a very long time on the cubicle beat. You don’t need thugs like that patrolling among the citizens.
#33 This tactic consists of a few riders blocking traffic from side roads so that the mass can freely proceed through red lights without interruption.
Wait a minute, I keep seeing people say that bikers have the same rights as motorists. Maybe the motorists should freely proceed through red lights and see who wins!
Its funny in one article CM is portrayed as criminal gangs with an unprovoked attack on a Seattle motorist and here we have a cop beat the crap out of one of these CM persons and CM is the victim. The truth is neither can co-exist wit the other. CM wants us to dump our cars and use bicycles because they cause no environmental polution and they promote a healthy lifestyle and are practically cheap to use. The real joke is that if the U.S. drop vehicles for bikes, average costs associated with bikes would go up by 600%, our comfy, lazy suburban lifestyle would end. 1st, Vehicle registrations would turn to bike registrations since the majority of the roads would be used by bikes and the government wants to keep the tax money they get, they don’t want to lose that money. 2nd, the gasoline taxes we pay now would turn into taxes for miles driven/peddled per year in order to maintain roads & keep the tax dollars coming in. 3rd, there would be MASSIVE job losses in the U.S. Imagine the the companies of ford, GM, Chrysler, all letting go of all their employee’s. Granted new jobs would be created but not in the amount these three companies employ now the amount of loss in income taxes would practically cripple this crippled economy.
#50
I don’t think it’s a all or nothing option. Some car owners could switch if more options were available. Like more people would also switch to public transportation was better. Of course a large percentage of people would still use their cars, because of many factors. (and and shipping goods would still be done on roads)But we got to change our car mentality/culture. Not just because of pollution. But to free up the roads from endless jams. (how many millions of hours of productivity are lost because of them?) To free up the downtown cores that have no room to put all these vehicles. (say incentive parking in the burbs for commuters and trains).
Joe, exactly where does this 600% number come from? Second, if there’s no fuel cost with bikes, doesn’t 600% x zero still equal zero? Third, you think the government would tax your bike on how many miles you ride?
Your post is a conglomeration of a bunch of unrelated points, all of which are (hogwash) assumptions made by you.
I love it. We need more cops like this. Kick these bastards asses!
49-It’s apparent you’ve forgotten your laws of the road, but cyclists DO have the same rights as motorists, they can use the same lanes and everything! Not like people of your ilk (and by that I mean fat and lazy) would understand it.
Love the update, the cop says the biker was trying to run him down when the cop speeds his pace to intercept him. Glad to see this scumbag cop get suspended, and let’s hope a nice jail sentence is on the way where he will become someone’s girlfriend.
The cops an idiot and I hope he gets slammed. If you engage in civil disobedience, which is what CM does, then they are going to get roughed up a bit. I’m not saying that this is good but it’s been happened time and again, it sort of comes with the territory.
If they truly believe their cause is right, then they will change things. Personally I think that I change driver and cyclist habits by being an excellent and thoughtful driver or cyclist. When I’m mad altercations are more likely. If I go out of my way to be nice and thoughtfully obey the rules of the road people seem to treat me nicely back.
Strange how that works. There are idiots in cars, there are idiots on bicycles. There are idiots walking. If you let others create the reality for you then you’ve lost.
Let it go and move on.
Most sensible comment in the thread.
#54 It’s apparent you’ve forgotten your laws of the road, but cyclists DO have the same rights as motorists, they can use the same lanes and everything!
So Brian, it seems that you have forgotten the laws of the road. Why can these spandex clad, self righteous a-holes, like yourself, “cork” side streets so the rest can run thru red lights without interruption? People need to carry broomsticks. Amazing how fast that will stop bike when inserted in the front spokes.
Cops are used to having people steer well clear of them. They sometimes don’t use common sense.
The guy on the bike tried to go around a cop that wasn’t paying attention to traffic. The cop may have believed what he was saying but the film shows what he was saying to be crap.
On the other hand the crittical mass guys are more or less asking for trouble even if they don’t know it.
All cops are filthy corrupt thugs that do nothing but look out for the interests of the wealthy elite.
This is why each and every “copkiller” should be revered as hero of the people.
# 54 Brian said, on July 28th, 2008 at 4:57 pm
49-It’s apparent you’ve forgotten your laws of the road, but cyclists DO have the same rights as motorists, they can use the same lanes and everything! Not like people of your ilk (and by that I mean fat and lazy) would understand it.
Love the update, the cop says the biker was trying to run him down when the cop speeds his pace to intercept him. Glad to see this scumbag cop get suspended, and let’s hope a nice jail sentence is on the way where he will become someone’s girlfriend.