'Critical Mass' Bicyclist Assaulted By Police Officer (VIDEO)

Critical Mass, the bicycle-awareness bike ride that occurs monthly in many cities, often has run-ins with authorities, who aren't so keen on public thoroughfares being taken over by non-polluting vehicles, free spirits or, evidently, the guy in the video below.

The last time we saw a hit like that, it was on ice, with pads, and a Detroit Red Wing was being introduced to the front row of the Pepsi Center in Denver via a vicious hip-check. WATCH:

Comments

[jamesjm]

08:39 AM on 07/31/2008

I ride everywhere in Manhattan and from the video I watched - it sends shivers down my spine. NY's Finest are not self-policing. They protect each other while doing the absolute minimum on the job. Police Unions such as their do this. Most have inexcusable attitudes and big chips on their shoulders.

The recruiting standard is very low for NYPD. Former Mayor Giuliani believed in getting more Police on the streets, but unfortunately for us, they are mostly 'warm bodies with guns'. Neither are they very well educated nor do they have social skills. Just look at their posture and health - it says it all... Shoulders slumped over shows low moral and low self esteem. Most of them have big guts and thats not from the vests they wear.

One London Police Person (Bobby) who are much more educated due to the hiring and recruiting practices, can do the work of five of NYPD's Finest.

To fix the NYPD would be surmountable to moving Mount Everest...

[WasteNJ]

05:54 PM on 07/30/2008

There's a saying from the early BMX street riding days...

"When riding is outlawed, only outlaws will ride"

Another example of NY's "finest" scumbags.

Now move along.

[Moshe]

05:00 PM on 07/30/2008

This is very clearly a dirty cop and a very dangerous person with no business having a badge and a gun. His actions indicate a clear intent to assault the cyclist, simply because he thought he could.

This clown belongs in jail, not in the business of putting other people there on false charges.

The police need to police their own ranks. If they don't, they will lose the support of the public, and the streets will become a far more dangerous place for all police officers, including the good ones. That is in no one's best interests.

NYPD: Stop hiring nazis and giving them a badge, and when one gets through anyway, deal with them appropriately, don't try to defend the indefensible.

[CalvinistHobbesian]

04:37 PM on 07/30/2008

I haven't seen a move like that since "Rollerball".

[LeftLeanWing]

03:54 PM on 07/30/2008

Let's state the obvious.

Those two cops were standing in the middle of the street; just to cause some sort of incident so that they could imply that these cyclist where 'BadGuys'. The cop in question, waited almost to the very last rider came by to create the "Incident'.

Fortunately, He wasn't thinking about Video Cameras and YouTube.

This Rider is going go get Paid c/o NYPD.

[TimmySlagle]

04:08 PM on 07/30/2008

Actually, if you look at the traffic, it's stopped, and the bicycles are driving around them.

Which indicates that all these riders are running the red light (something that Critical Mass LOVES to do, to create gridlock). It isn't the cops who are causing an "incident."

Secondly, there are a LOT of riders still going by on the other side of the street as the cops pick the guy off the ground. He was nowhere NEAR the end of the group.

[Knowitall]

04:16 PM on 07/30/2008

You know what, you can make all the excuses you want for these cops, it's all there right in front of you. The cop waited for the cyclist, probably waiting for one who was riding slow enough, and just like a bully on the playground, walked right over and pushed him off the bike deliberately. Case closed. Police are suppose to prevent incidents, not cause them. Then they have the nerve to charge the bicyclist. The cop didn't know there were cameras. If there hadn't been, the cyclist would have gone to court, the two officers would have lied their butts off (as they often do) and the guy would have been fined or maybe even gotten jail time depending on the charges--because the judge ALWAYS believes the officer.

Yeah, make your excuses, but wait until it happens to you or someone you love. Then you'll be singing a different tune.

[Kenji]

08:21 PM on 07/30/2008

Yes, well really, they should have been killed then. Also, the onlookers for watching. And you, of course, for thinking about it. Have a nice country!

[henrydavidthrow]

02:30 PM on 07/30/2008

If we aren't a police state already, we will be one soon.

[kellygrrrl]

02:11 PM on 07/30/2008

watching in slow-mo, it seems very clear that the officer planned and prepared for this attack. Looks pre-meditated to me, at least a few seconds of fore-thought went into it.

Criminal charges need to be filed against this rogue officer

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

12:30 PM on 07/30/2008

The cop later said he was responding to a bicyclist who deserved to be stopped.

If so, where's ANY attempt by the cop to flag down the bicyclist? Nada.

Fire the cop.

Give half of Gracie Mansion to the lucky-to-be-alive bicyclist.

[easyrider1969]

11:52 AM on 07/30/2008

So the cop says Mr. Long assaulted him by riding his bike into him and later resisted arrest. In the NYPD, this is know as testilying. The NYPD pulled the same baloney...only on a much larger scale during the 2004 Republican convention. (For some reason I can't figure out, the NYPD felt that Republicans would better represent their families interests than Democrats. The way I see it; you vote Republican because you're very rich or just plain stupid.)

[WasteNJ]

06:00 PM on 07/30/2008

Cops like republicans because they talk tough, and are just as corrupt as they are.

[Cochituate]

11:16 AM on 07/30/2008

This was frightening. I know how the cop is- how is the rider? Is he okay? He's going to own a piece of New York after this dust up.

[WrongwayFeldman]

11:08 AM on 07/30/2008

FOX News - "The video clip, posted anonymously on the Internet on Sunday, shows the officer standing in the street as bikes whiz past. The officer moves toward the cyclist, identified in a criminal complaint as Christopher Long, and violently knocks him to the ground in front of crowds of people. Another officer comes over, and the two officers wrestle with Long before handcuffing him.

Long, of Hoboken, N.J., was arrested because he was obstructing traffic in the heart of Times Square, the complaint said. He was charged with attempted assault, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct.

The complaint said Long, 29, deliberately steered his bicycle into the officer, causing both of them to fall to the ground."

Yep...its official....we've living in the Bizarro World.

[Fudgefase]

10:56 AM on 07/30/2008

I commute to work on my bike. I fell off three weeks ago and nearly broke my wrist. According to the hospital, I 'took it about as far as I could without actually breaking it'. It still hurts and is swollen. I sympathise with this guy. That hit hurt.

[NorthWoodsVoice]

10:24 AM on 07/30/2008

Just another coward hiding in a blue uniform. There's never a shortage of them, and they give the rest of the good cops a bad rep. On the other hand, if this cowardly bully stays on the force, I guess there are no good cops. If there were, they'd give this wuss a "blanket party" and send him packing. Time will tell.

[jamesjm]

10:58 PM on 07/29/2008

Yes - the NYPD have a chip on their shoulder. They are not well liked by NYC citizens. They are lazy - union hacks that could give two hoots about the security of the people they are supposed to protect. Don't agree? Just look at their beaten down posture and body language - says it all... One Police Bobby in London can do the work of five of NY's Finest.

Truth be told - the NYC cops drive in squad cars with the windows rolled up tight so they don't have to hear a cry for help. They insulate themselves from the world so they don't have to think or work.

[andvoodoo2]

07:37 PM on 07/29/2008

Here's hoping those NYC cops lose their badges and their freedom. I hope the city has to pay big to the cyclist, too.