The London Green Party have urged Boris Johnson to break his silence over the arrest of 182 cyclists in east London during the Olympic opening ceremony on Friday evening. Despite being one of the biggest mass arrests for years, the Mayor of London has still made no comment about it. The Greens say it raises vital questions over freedom to protest, police priorities and the right of Londoners to move around their own city.
The arrests took place during the Critical Mass cycle ride, a monthly event to celebrate cycling. Police have still to explain why they used Section 12 of the Public Order Act to prevent participants from cycling north over Waterloo Bridge. Several hundred cycled over other bridges, of whom a number defied restrictions to cycle near Olympic venues in Stratford. Video footage (some of which is below) from the evening appears to show heavy-handed policing.
John McDonnell MP (Lab Hayes and Harlington) took to twitter yesterday to say "Call upon the Met Police to drop the charges, cautions & restrictions against #criticalmass cyclists peacefully demonstrating on Friday." TraceyFK replied to him "they weren't demonstrating they were cycling like they have done monthly for years. Nice Sentiment but get facts right"
Noel Lynch, Co-ordinator of the London Federation of Green Parties and a former member of the Metropolitan Police Authority, said: "The splendid Olympic opening ceremony rightly celebrated British traditions of freedom and democracy. But while the opening ceremony applauded the suffragettes, peaceful protesters outside were being dragged from their bikes.
While Olympian cyclists prepared for Saturday's road race, hundreds of Londoners were stopped from cycling in their own city. Londoners want to enjoy the Olympics, not be scared to move around London. The Critical Mass cycle ride is a monthly event that usually passes peacefully and without incident. Why did the police react like this? Boris Johnson has urgent questions to answer."
A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said: "Officers were aware that a monthly cycle procession was due to take place yesterday, Friday 27 July, and made several attempts to engage with riders to discuss their plans. "From the outset they attempted to cross the Thames, despite attempts by officers to prevent them. The procession split into smaller groups and some of them crossed to the north of the River.
"They travelled to the Stratford area, where there were large numbers of people and vehicles due to the Olympic Opening Ceremony. "Cyclists continued to ride around the ORN [Olympic Route Network], despite numerous warnings and officers took action to detain the cyclists and over 130 people were arrested for breach of section 12 of the Public Order Act."
"They travelled to the Stratford area, where there were large numbers of people and vehicles due to the Olympic Opening Ceremony. "Cyclists continued to ride around the ORN [Olympic Route Network], despite numerous warnings and officers took action to detain the cyclists and over 130 people were arrested for breach of section 12 of the Public Order Act."
