Cop Attacks Cyclist, Charges Him with "Resisting Arrest"

Does your comment "we don't know whether because of the action or because he let the videographer get away", hurt or help your (our) cause? Sure you may have a beef with the police but geez, the NYPD finds out that a cop was way, way out of line and they took his badge. How else would you want them to act?

The NYPD as an organization should be commended for this particular reaction to this jerk cop instead of receiving a degrading, conspiracy theorist post by a "non-partisan" Treehugger blogger.

LA: You are right. I have removed that line.

Does your comment "we don't know whether because of the action or because he let the videographer get away", hurt or help your (our) cause? Sure you may have a beef with the police but geez, the NYPD finds out that a cop was way, way out of line and they took his badge. How else would you want them to act?

The NYPD as an organization should be commended for this particular reaction to this jerk cop instead of receiving a degrading, conspiracy theorist post by a "non-partisan" Treehugger blogger.

I've heard that YouTube is banned in some countries (Turkey, China, et al) no doubt to thwart publicity of abuse of power like this. Kudos to NYPD for taking swift action after the fact.

"The New York Police Department has stripped the police officer of his badge and gun after the video was posted on YouTube"

i hope they throw the book at him like he threw him self at the biker. there was no excuse what-so-ever for what that cop did

A disgrace to the badge. I applaud the NYPD in general, and now for doing the right thing with this despicable POS. This man should be blackballed by every man and woman in uniform, police, fire, EMS. When he dials 911, there should be a "delay".

As a long time cyclist I have to say Critical Mass is monumentally stupid idea. What a great way to lose friends and influence people (against you).

I can't imagine keeping my cool as the victim here. If this interaction, and by interaction I mean the cop checking the cyclist had caused a scuffle where the cyclist maybe threw a punch at the cop... would those charges be null and void since it was so so so obviously wrong of the cop.

Like if a cop does the first "wrong" does everything after that not count? With obvious exceptions.

lawsuit written all over this

Before you moderate this post down, I am a bicyclist, and also liberal. However Critical Mass is not 100% innocent. On friday in Seattle, they blocked traffic and harassed an individual and slashed his tires.

There have been hundreds of incidents where Cricitcal Mass cyclists have harassed, cornered, and been just as thug like as the police.

Wrong != right.

this is just mob mentality on two wheels.

WoW!~
i was referred by another twitterer ....
& am shocked at that policepersons actions!~

& then to have that bicyclists have to spend time in jail (and have a record ) as a result of participating in a 'green-activity" is just ridiculous...& sad....

There was an incident like this in the Winnipeg critical mass a few years ago. It's sad.

I don't understand why this police officer isn't charged with assault.

Lets see what went wrong here ...
1 ) The police officers are here to protect people, not hurt them. This Cop failed to understand the basis of his job.
2 ) The cyclist was actually IN the bike lane when he got pushed over by the cop, and indeed WAS fully obeying the law at that particular time.
3 ) The cyclist took evasive action to prevent an accident, not to resist arrest. There was no basis for any arrest.
4 ) The cop is outrageously guilty of police brutality, and for no good reason at all. Actually, for no reason at all.

Good thing the HandyCam has grown up, and we can now share these on You Tube.
Who is watching the police now? Answer ,,, Everyone.

I am happy to see the Cop turfed out.

One more bad worm out of the NYPD and the Big apple is a little better.
I hope the Cyclist gets a BIG settlement for his unlawful arrest, pain and suffering, and illegal prison time spent.

Cyclist should:

Be paid by the NYPD for his unnecessary suffering and time in jail.

Receive a public apology by the head of the police dept.

Cop should:

Be fired without pay, immediately.
Be tried for his violent attack.
Be tried for acting improperly while wearing the uniform.
Be thrown in jail for 6 months
Be given a hefty fine.

Maybe this is the beginning of the end of the mentality that if you ride a bike, you're a scumbag.

As much as the Police Officer was wrong, I have to say I have wanted to do the same myself. First of all cyclists in NYC are just plain awful. They jump on sidewalks, go through red lights, go the wrong way on one way streets and fly past pedestrians. I never got hit by a car, I got hit twice by bicycle riders and I am not talking about bicycle messengers. I could be here for a while on that. Cyclists should be forced to get licenses because they really cause problems. As for critical mass, while yes I agree with protesting polluting cars but everyone I talk to hates critical mass, they are not helping the movement. It's not showing the good side of being green.

No offense but critical mass isn't all that "peaceful" as Ms. Barbara Ross says. These guys break the law in MASSIVE ways. Bike riders are supposed to follow the same laws as cars, do you think these guys stop at red lights? Hell no, they barrel through an inconvenience an entire city. I encountered this in Hollywood a few months back when I was trying to leave work and my wife was at the hospital READY TO GIVE BIRTH! I was stuck at red lights *AND* green lights waiting for these guys and girls and eventually i just started easing out into the intersection when the light turned green. IMMEDIATELY I started being attacked by punks on bikes, jumping off their bikes and challenging me to fight. Good thing I have a job which allows me to conceal a handgun and I had a H&K 45 handy otherwise I'd probably be dead right now. It's funny how when a group of people are attacking and challenging you and you ask "can you guys let me go through? my wife is giving birth" goes ignored until you pull out a handgun, then EVERYONE listens and apologizes and lets you through. Ridiculous.

I have no problem with critical mass and chances are this guy didn't deserve this, but seriously, follow the law and don't cry when something like this does happen. Someone WILL die if critical mass doesn't start following laws, trust me.

I first I thought this was going to be another biased piece by Treehugger. I feel I see allot of favoritism regardless of the legality. However, This was outright misconduct by the NYPD and the cyclist was the victim here... Even with Critical Mass's questionable tactics.

I could see him resisting arrest when he swerved to avoid running over the cop. Damn Liberals

This isn't the first incident of the NYPD abusing cyclists or civil rights in general. From the news I read, there doesn't seem to be any serious effort by the NYPD to root out abuses of power within the department, only public hand waving and protecting their own.

Jon K - whether or not you agree with CM as a means of non-violent protest, when is abuse of power justified? Last time I checked, the U.S. was still (nominally) a nation of laws. May be you would like to be on the receiving end of police abuse someday?

This kind of behaviour rings all to common for me. I try and avoid having anything to with police, because their attitudes often leave a lot be desired.

A good videographer is often the only way to get justice in a confrontation with an officer - otherwise it's their word against yours. Of course, if they smash or confiscate your camera first...

Don't get to ra-ra yet. I think it's SOP to put a cop on suspension whenever there's an investigation into their actions.

Until and unless he's actually cited, any lack of badge and weapon he is currently experiencing is a temporary thing.

"I've heard that YouTube is banned in some countries (Turkey, China, et al) no doubt to thwart publicity of abuse of power like this. Kudos to NYPD for taking swift action after the fact."

Nay, I'm in China right now and YouTube isn't banned in China (although certain blog websites don't load for me, so I think some are blocked).

I'm glad that cop got caught, well deserved. I saw a cop car hit a cyclist here in China, and it was kind of funny because the cop was so mad at the cyclist for weaving in between traffic. He just stared the cyclist down as he picked his bike up and packages off the road. Moral of the story? Stay clear of cops. They're crazy.

Did anyone ask the cop WHY he did that? I think this story is incomplete until everyone involved is heard.

That cop is my hero! They should give him a medal.

Welcome to the unemployment line Mr Plod

Yes, I agree the policeman's actions were wrong and he could have handled the situation in a much less severe manner. But, do not portray these cyclists as innocent. It appears to me the cyclists are disrupting traffic, swerving in between automobiles, and not using turn signals when changing lanes. Remember, bicycles are supposed to obey the normal traffic laws, also. These cyclists deserve to be, at least, ticketed. As I said before, the policeman is wrong, but these cyclists seem to be wanting to instigate negative responses with their actions. Critical Mass cyclists, find a way that is not disruptive to demonstrate your views.

1.There is no excuse for how the police officer behaved. The fact that he was sanctioned probably means he wasn't told to stop that particular (innocent) cyclist.

2.I ride a bike to work. It is an important tool for me and now I can't have a simple "Tomorrow, instead of driving, try riding a bike" shirt without being mistaken for a delinquent.
Thank you Critical Mass...

@PX

You pulled a gun on citizens and still have your permit to carry a weapon? You are lucky there wasn't a cop and videographer near you. YOU would be in jail right now. There is no way a bicyclist could threaten you enough to warrant that strong of force.

In no way the cop should have done that, but this guy needs to learn how to bike, in the slomo he doesn't seem to break at all. In inner city I always have my hands on both breaks, too many sleepwalkers around.

PS: Where the heck are the bike lights on half of those bikes? Are you people stupid or what? I don't know if you need bike lights in the US, but give others at least a chance to see you and predict your speed at night. Maybe the cop wanted to pick him out because of that and saw he didn't slew down? Still no need for Rambo behaviour.

@ Jason
"Critical Mass cyclists, find a way that is not disruptive to demonstrate your views."

Isn't the point of Critical Mass to raise awareness that cyclists do not have an equal right to the road, despite the law stating that they do? Isn't the point to raise awareness of the disruption and destruction that automobile traffic causes? Non-disruptive ways, as you call it, don't work. People have tried less disruptive ways to demonstrate their views, and they get arrested as well (see Reverend Billy's Union Square arrest for reciting, of all things, the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution).

NYPD has antagonized Critical Mass before, blockading routes, rounding up cyclists, and throwing them in jail, oftentimes leaving their bikes on the side of the road to get stolen (a major problem in NYC due to a lack of bike parking infrastructure). This is an egregious misuse of power.

Like Critical Mass or not, there is no indication that the cyclists warranted the treatment that he received. Perhaps NYPD should start tackling pedestrians who daily block traffic when they walk on Don't Walk signals or jaywalk, or ram cars that speed, don't signal properly, honk their horns (illegal in New York), block the box, run yellow (and red) lights, double park, block bike lanes, etc. Of course, requisite jailtime and a resist arrest charge would all be part of the operation. How does the officer's reaction seem now? Wouldn't that be the equivalent response to pedestrians and drivers disobeying the law?

Are their cyclists who don't obey traffic laws? Absolutely, and I will be the first to complain about it, and shake my fist in their general direction, for issues of safety and the belief that traffic laws are to be obeyed. But does that warrant this type of response? Do speeders get this kind of treatment?

If there is a problem with this group, one cop randomly selecting someone to make an example of is not the proper way to proceed from the point of view of law enforcement. If that was the case, then NYPD should have had multiple uniformed officers there to arrest anyone willfully breaking the law with this protest. Specific instances of violence against citizens or police officers would have naturally dealt with in a more stern manner.

I know nothing of the group Critical Mass. They don't seem to pop up on the radar that often from my experience. However, if the stories that I have heard from other posters are true, then action should be taken by any person assaulted or witnessing illegal actions. This action would be reporting it to law enforcement. If you say nothing, nothing will happen.

The actual news story in the New York Times, says that the cop is now on desk duty - not fired. And apparently, at least for now, it looks as though the cyclist isn't filing charges - just trying to get those against him dropped...

Link: http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-YouTube-Cyclist.html?_r=3&oref=slogin&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

Abridged story: NEW YORK (AP) --

The officer in the video was placed on desk duty pending the outcome of a police department investigation, chief police spokesman Paul Browne said. The officer's name wasn't released.

The biker, Christopher Long, of Hoboken, N.J., was arrested because he was obstructing traffic in the heart of Times Square, a criminal 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.

Long's lawyer, David Rankin, said he hopes the Manhattan district attorney's office will drop the charges. The district attorney's office said it was investigating.

Long's next court date was set for Sept. 5.

To the people who think the bicyclist "could have assaulted or stolen a purse" where we can't see...are you watching the same video I am?

The cops start making a move toward one side of the street, one of them, with NO WARNING WHATSOEVER, including NO VERBAL OR BODY LANGUAGE checks a bicyclist into the sidewalk. Please tell me on what planet you live on where given this situation that was appropriate behavoir. The cop was CLEARLY setting up just to hit him as he kept his arms close to his body without so much as putting his hand up and saying "Stop". If he was assaulting someone, don't you think the other cop would have done something as well? Instead of say, calmly walking over to the side? Maybe block the other side of the road? It's not that big.

I could care less about CM. Maybe they're horrible street, terrorists, maybe not, I haven't heard about them before now. But what went on here, without a doubt, was a cop illegally using a massive abuse of power to ASSAULT someone else. If you think otherwise, I wouldn't trust your judgment to save my life.

to px:
I completely agree. As an avid cyclist, I HATE CRITICAL MASS. They give all cyclists a bad name by breaking every traffic law they can. Further, they actually add to pollution by block and deadlocking traffic, leading to more idling cars on the road. I live in Austin, TX and they are awful here!

However, that cop should be held accountable on both a civil and criminal basis. Assault (criminal) and battery (civil) should definitely be thrown at him. I also like the idea from a previous poster - behavior unbecoming of an officer!

If the NYPD doesn't get rid of this cop, it will reflect badly on them. Any time any cyclist says: "we don't trust the police", all they need to do to explain themselves is point to this video, and the officer's continuing employment with the NYPD.

The cyclist should not need to press charges or file any official complaint. He should receive all his attorney's fees, all his medical expenses, a small award to cover damages/time lost, and an formal apology (nicely printed and framed, that would help). The video is there for all to see, and if the NYPD cannot act on that, they deserve the damage to their reputation.

The policeman is quite lucky that Mr. Long did not suffer serious bodily injury. With a body check like that, tumbling from a bicycle at that speed could have caused a broken bone, a concussion, perhaps hitting a pole or curb and knocking out teeth or worse. In such a case, based on the video, a jury who viewed it I believe would surely find the individual policeman as well as the city quite liable to a hefty judgement award against them both.

that being said, I am not a fan of Critical Mass myself, even though I support bicyclists rights. Any activism that breaks laws to raise awareness of other laws which puts others in danger, to me, is not an appropriate response.

What the hell were the cops doing standing in the middle of a 1 way street? This cop was looking for trouble- and when he couldnt find it- he manufactured it. Hope he loses his job, and the cyclist gets compensated for his suffering.

The cop was wrong, but still.....

Critical mass is where people get together to show off their colored chains.

I was watching a movie at 1am on a Friday last week. I hear a crowd of people yelling. I look outside. I see some people whizzing by on bikes. Then I hear honking. I get up and go to the porch. Now there is a steady stream of people, at 1am yelling while people take turns looking cool skidding in front of a stopped car. Now some the neighbors are out too. Now there are 3 cars honking. Now there are more neighbors out. Now there are more loud people on bikes. I ride a fixed gear bike to work. I like biking around....I was hit by a car last Monday. I think the city needs to make LA more bike friendly. I don't think any good came out of causing a ruckus at 1 am.

It really does make me feel guilty for being associated with such wingnuts. When it comes time to go to a city meeting to discuss something actually relevant to biking in LA where is this mass of people? Polishing their rims and color coordinating their bike components. Not all the people but man, a lot of them.

I hope I hit the lotto some day like that cyclist. That cop is pure kaching$. With my luck, a dog will bite me and I'll get paid for that, but lose a leg.

How would a cop wake up thinking he might even do that???

yo cops now days think they have the right to lie and put us in the system for something that really didnt happen. they do that cause there pigs. This guy needs to be fired or we the people shall stand up and take over this governemnt oureslves. theres more regular people then rich and powerful people. we should strip em all of their power

There is something wrong with you people who say don’t cry when something like this happens. And who say this is bound to happen anytime a protest event like this happens. What you don’t agree with is that these people are not breaking the law. A bike is considered a vehicle by the DOT, and has to obey the same laws as motorists. I do agree that they are breaking the law by running red lights, but that is it. The only reason they get pissed and yell and taunt motorists is because you guys don't share the road. The bicycles are vehicles too. Just because there are so many cyclists in the road is no reason to get upset. It’s just like being in a traffic jam with cars and trucks, but they are on bikes. Critical Mass is just part of living in a big city on a busy street, if you don’t like it get the fuck out. Nobody forced you to live where you do; you chose to move where you did. Oh and "they actually add to pollution by block and deadlocking traffic, leading to more idling cars on the road". Come the fuck on, are you serious? They don't add to the pollution any more then a typical accident holding up traffic, which is bound to happen anyway if the cyclist were not in the way. You people are so fucking stupid.

Non-violent?
The critical mass here in San Francisco is far from peaceful and non-violent.

I got hit while waiting for them to pass one evening. I was standing on the sidewalk and one of them ran me down. Didn't even pause to apologize or see if I was ok, because he hit me on purpose. I was a pedestrian on the sidewalk and he aimed. And other times I narrowly missed being hit by a bicyclist went I was walking, both during critical mass events, and walking on the sidewalk, or also crossing in the crosswalk.

And then there was the attack on the minivan last year. Which was hardly non-violent.

These events are out of control. All it's done is made me angry at them and dislike bicyclists more. Most of them don't bother to follow the rules of the road, that's why people are angry. They run a stop sign and then flip you off because you are already in the intersection. This type of behavior means that generally it's unsafe to ride in San Francisco because people driving cars are so feed up with the bicyclists. I have a bicycle. I haven't ridden it in years because of the road rage created by other bicyclists who have decided they don't need to follow the rules.

And here in San Francisco critical mass has become an excuse to riot through the city on bicycles and run down pedestrians and attack people. That's really not ok.

So while this is unrelated to this particular incident, I can certainly understand being hostile toward this event. It used to be amusing and sort of fun. Now it just seems like an excuse to run people down.

This has gotten really out of control.

If you're riding please follow the rules of the road. Put lights on your bicycle so cars can see you. Stop at the stop signs and stop lights. And don't run down pedestrians.