I'm learning about some of the details about this group just now. I'd heard of them before, but never paid much attention. The issue from the cops point of view seems to be that the ride is an organized parade and so you need a permit. The riders disagree. According to them, there is no organization and anyone can join and ride. At the beginning, anyway, they obeyed the rules of the road and so on. And they still got arrested.
They get their bikes impounded for minor traffic violations. They get sent to prison for hours on trumped up charges. That's like getting sent to the clink and having your car taken away for speeding.
This is one incident of many from a critical mass website:
Spokane, WA, USA
November, 2005. A rider writes: "Prior to a ride on November 25, Officers from the Spokane Police Department came to the Critical Mass meeting point and read Municipal Codes for Disorderly Conduct. The Officers left, and about eleven bicyclists began the ride, heading down Howard Street, with about fifteen people were following by foot on the sidewalks--some with cameras, and some as general supporters. Less than ten minutes into the ride the police created a blockade near the corner of Riverside and Post, announced their presence, and tackled people from their bikes. They handcuffed eleven people and detained them in a nearby alleyway. They confiscated bicycles as 'evidence'. Three people were released, and the remaining eight were arrested on charges of Disorderly Conduct."
http://critical-mass.info/police.htmlSo while it appears this cop just decided to freak out in this particular manner, he may very well have gotten the idea from his good buddies in blue. It's interesting to see how the establishment can stretch and outright break the law and not get called for it when the people they are targeting a) have little recourse and b) are considered to be not fine, upstanding citizens.
Here is another article on the assault by the NYT City Room blog. This part really stuck out to me:
Cyclist-police relations were worsened with revelations, in 2005, that the Police Department had conducted secret surveillance of numerous protest groups, including Critical Mass, around the time of the (RNC) convention.
http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/07/28/police-investigate-officer-in-critical-mass-video/Who are the good guys again?