LAPD to participate in Critical Mass

After last month’s LA Critical Mass ride during which police officers allegedly used violence against some of the cyclists, the LAPD announced they will attend tonight’s Critical Mass.


Los Angeles Police department critical mass flyer

Personally, I appreciate the (usually) quiet presence of the San Jose police along parts of the San Jose Bike Party route. Before the police presence, Bike Party was an excuse for drunken vandals to show up and ruin the fun for everybody else. The police seems to keep some of the worst of the pointlessly violent behavior at a manageable level, for the most part. The cops mostly keep out of the way (the April 2010 ride was an exception). (For CMers, let me add that San Jose Bike Party is something like a kinder, gentler evil twin of Critical Mass.)

Not everybody feels this way, however. In response to the LAPD flyer announcing their intent to ride with Critical Mass, somebody created a parody poster lampooning the police flyer, though “Plebus Power” also welcomes the police participation. LAPD Sgt David Krumer, who created the original flyer, responded in a comment at Streetsblog LA: “Well done Plebis Power. I did the original flyer. I hope to see you at Critical Mass so we can take a photo together…it appears we are addressing two sides of the same coin.

Parody of LAPD Critical Mass flyer

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