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RR: March 2002 #9
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I arrived at Loring Park about 5:00pm. There were about 60 cyclists, and we had some discussion about where and how to ride. It was decided that we would not take up the entire road (so vehicles could pass) and we would try to ride at a reasonably quick pace. We left the park at about 5:30pm on Willow St. Less that one minute later, we tried to turn onto a street that I think was Grant, and there were several police cars heading down that street towards the group. We circled back onto Willow, and at what I think was 15th several police cars blocked the road by driving into the curb. The police told us we had to ride single file. I saw at least one person’s bike taken by the police. I heard him try to explain that he was visiting from out of state so he did not have a Minnesota bicycle license. I saw him take out his state identification, but the office said they would have to discuss that at the station. Because the road was blocked, I rode back into Loring Park, following a group of other riders. A police car rode onto the bike path in Loring Park to follow the group. The group I was with decided to try to ride again. We rode through the park and exited onto a street that I think was Yale. We tried to turn onto another street which may have been Spruce or 11th, and the police again blocked the road. I did not see what the police did at this time. The group turned again and ended up riding down 10th St. We stopped at a red light on 3rd Ave and turned left on 3rd Ave, I and many members of the group signaled all of these turns. One 3rd Ave, the group was riding next to the curb, and at least the part of the group I was in, was riding single file or two abreast. At some point on 3rd Ave, I became aware that the police were following us. I was riding single file as the last rider in my group (I think there was 2 or 3 riders a block behind the police cars) as we approached 6th St. While the group was going through the light at 3rd Ave and 6th St, the light turned red. The police cars that were behind me drove around me very quickly on the left and then blocked 3rd Ave. I completely stopped before entering the intersection. While I was waiting at the red light, I saw several officers run out the there cars, and they were chasing people, pulling riders off their bike and taking bikes. The bikes were thrown onto a flat bed truck. I heard people yelling for help. I was surprised by the police response because it seemed so harsh in response to a group of peaceful bicyclists. When the light turned green, I could not continue riding because the road was blocked. I got off my bike, I walked across the crosswalk and walked my bike onto the sidewalk outside the Hennepin County Government Center on 3rd Ave. I saw an officer pulling a male rider off his bike. I saw a young woman with medium length dark hair who had been handcuffed by police. The officer was pulling her hair, and she shouted, “Stop pulling my hair.” The office said “Stop resisting arrest.” She said she was not resisting arrest and again told the officer to stop pulling her hair. The officer had what appeared to be pepper spray, but I did not see what happened next. As I was standing next to my bike, an officer approached me. I told him that my bike is registered and pointed to my sticker showing current registration. He told me that he was going to take my bike. I asked him why, and he said it was because I was on the sidewalk. I told him I did not ride on the sidewalk and the reason I was on the sidewalk was because the road was blocked by the squad cars. He asked me if I was part of “this group,” and I said that I was. He then took my bike. About a half hour later and went to the station at on 5th St near Nicollet and asked for my bike. I presented my drivers license, but I was told that I could not get my bike back because the police had no way to cross reference my bike license number with my name or drivers license. The officer told me that I would need to provide that paperwork that I received when I registered my bike in order to get my bike back that evening. The officer, with the help of another officer, then wrote me a ticket for going through a red light at 6th and 3rd. I told the officer that I did not go through the red light. He told me that I would have to take this up in court. I officer that wrote the ticket was not the same officer that took my bike. The officer that wrote the ticket was one of the officers that I watched chasing other riders while I was waiting at that very same red light. After receiving my ticket, I took the bus home and found my paperwork and returned back downtown. The process of getting my bike back took until about 9 pm Friday. My bike seat has a tear in it that was not present when the police took my bike; I assume this was caused by throwing the bike onto the truck. Nancy J. Goblisch 4/4/02