Friday Night's Critical Mass Bike Ride: Minneapolis & St. Paul

A Critical Mass bike ride takes place on the last Friday evening of the month in Minneapolis. A Critical Mass ride is a largely unorganized gathering of a large number of cyclists riding together around city streets: part protest and statement for bike advocacy, part social gathering.

Cyclists in the Twin Cities were concerned about possible police action against riders tonight. Although the Critical Mass ride is a long-standing regular event, it's just days before the RNC and there was concern that the usually peaceful ride might be hijacked by those who want to make trouble, or to protest the convention. There's also a history of violence at Critical Mass rides in Minneapolis. An August 2007 critical mass ride in Minneapolis turned nasty, leading to accusations of police brutality, and the arrests of several riders.

Tonight's Critical Mass ride passed peacefully. The cyclists gathered in Loring Park, and rode towards downtown St. Paul. The ride passed by me as I drove down Ramsey Hill in St. Paul. Ramsey Hill is the steepest street in the whole of the Twin Cities, so respect to the Critical Massers! Around 100 riders pedaled up the hill, in the company of about 40 police officers on bikes and in squad cars. I was interested to see a couple of bike-riding police officers getting a tow up the hill by police cars. That's illegal, isn't it? Actually it's permitted for police officers, and I'm envious. There's been several times I've ridden up that hill wishing for a tow...

_{Photo Clara James}