Police Violence at Critical Mass London NB: NOT THE EVENT AT THE OLYMPIC PARK!

NOTE: NO MORE COMMENTS ACCEPTED ON THIS VIDEO. THERE HAS BEEN ENOUGH DISCUSSION OF THE SAME SUBJECT OVER AND OVER. While helpful debate is welcomed, anti-cycling abuse is neither helpful nor reasonable. People will always differ in their opinions but when opinions turn to hate we all lose.

During Critical Mass London, police escalate violence and aggression. Police took a rider around the corner and a mounted officer placed his horse between the other riders and the person they had on the ground. A rider in grey holding two bicycles steps off the road onto the pavement and is shouted at by the mounted officer. He is then dragged off the pavement by an officer who then attempts to take a bicycle he was holding. Another rider attempts to take the bicycle back which causes a struggle. A third rider who is facing away from a mounted police officer and posing no threat is then struck from behind by the mounted police officer with an extendable baton. Later this officer attempted to justify this by saying he was threatened. Near the end you will also see a person who is apparently a police officer in shorts showing people his warrant card. Earlier on he had assaulted a person and become involved in the situation without making it clear he was a police officer. We witnessed him grabbing a rider by the neck and only then said to uniformed officers that he was a police officer when they attempted to stop him assaulting a rider.

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[Bruised Cyclist]

I am the person in this video who got hit by the mounted officer. I am being charged now with 'threatening behaviour to cause harassment, alarm or distress contrary to section 5 of the public order act'.I was originally arrested for 'obstruction of a police officer'(of his baton?) It seems to me that they are trying to charge me to justify the action of the police officer. If anyone has any other videos or any information that could help my case please comment here or send me a message. Thanks

[LDNBikeSwarm]

Please email us on ldnbikeswarm@gmail.com. We have some information for you.

[AIDSOOOO]

they were just showing you what it's like to be Corked you dicks... and by the way Im a proper Cyclist 200 miles a week wear a helmet and follow the highway code unlike these dicks that give proper bikers a bad name

[LDNBikeSwarm]

Not entirely clear how being hit with a baton shows cyclists what it's like to wait for a minute or two for some cyclists to pass, but then maybe we're not 'proper' cyclists, whatever that is. But nobody's claiming that you shouldn't follow the highway code and clearly there are some issues here but a violent assault by a mounted officer helps nobody.

[LDNBikeSwarm]

That proves all cyclists don't or just some?

If drivers 'respected the rules of the road' then we'd not have speed cameras, traffic police or indeed traffic offences. Maybe it's time to get over this 'drivers vs cyclists' argument as many of those cyclists there are also drivers.

[Nick Heath]

you can clearly see a innocent person at 0:36 (may have been obstructing but still) and the policeman on a horse hits him for no apparent reason. THIS is what gives the police a bad name.

[Radman23078]

Yes but CM seem to think they are above the law and can ride through red lights whenever they want and cause obstructions in and around London - its illegal to do so as it causes massive problems on our roads that are already congested. As i've said before its about Critical Mass learning to share the roads with other users.

[duckjive1]

What a coward that Plod was..!!

[eselmeno]

It is clear that everywhere, repression "official" is inherent when trying to keep up appearances of state. Here brothers, Mexico City or London are exactly alike, and I wonder what the real difference between the aberrant concepts of the first world and third world?

[LDNBikeSwarm]

Cyclists do respect the 'rules of the road' and nobody suggested it's 'right' or 'lawful' but somebody did suggest that this behaviour is not just cyclists but every road user including buses, cars, taxis, minicabs, HGVs, etc.

[LDNBikeSwarm]

Think you're confused here; this video was shot two months ago.