June’s Critical mass in London saw a slightly different route. As always we met at Southbank and managed to leave at 7.15pm.
Following the killing of Marie Vesco on the A23 her friends, rampART and Food Not Bombs asked people to ride to Brixton, where she served free food every Sunday afternoon with Brixton Food Not Bombs.
Approximately 600 cyclists left Waterloo going South via Lambeth North, then Elephant& Castle, going round a few times stopping the traffic. Via the Oval we went to Brixton, where we stopped at Windrush Square. By now there were maybe 300–400 cyclists left (there was a bit of North-London snobbery). Different people spoke about Marie and how they missed her. How she died and why she worked with Brixton FoodNotBombs and how giving out free food was so important to her. There was a minute’s silence for her.
Then we cycled North again, police stopped us halfway up towards Stockwell. They had tried to dictate the tempo previously, but rogue cyclists broke through, stopped the traffic ahead of the police line and in that way forced the police to let the Mass go (Health and Safety and all…).
They managed to block Stockwell Road and we didn’t quite get the momentum of breaking through. To the coppers’ surprise the tip of the Mass turned around, cycling back on themselves and turning off the main road further down (Sidney Road I think). We made our way to the Oval, cycling past the Cricket knobs, some of which were using bad language, when we came in sight. Others were supportive.
Vauxhall Bridge ended up being a bit of a splitter were we lost a few people. Going across the bridge, past Parliament we hit the square, encircling it a couple of times, until something happened with the sound system (as always) not quite sure what. music stopped. Raising bikes, blocking road, we then went to see the queen. The whole ride took about two hours and a bit. Nice atmosphere, good mix of people and bikes and so good to have some music on the way (three sound systems).
What happened with the sound system on the North side of Parliament Square was that the police stopped it playing and riders strongly objected to this ban which caused a long traffic holdup.
The cycle police keep on targeting Critical Mass sound systems in the SOCPA zone around Parliament while doing nothing to stop sound systems in cars, buses and lorries. Also the SOCPA legislation is currently under review and other police are tending not to enforce it.
More videos:
outside the ritzy, enjoying some tunes, before a minutes silence in memory of Marie Vesco
bringing the mass & some music to the queen
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Yesterday the Brighton Critical Mass monthly bicycle ride was done in the memory Marie Vesco — the young French woman who had been killed on her way from London to the Carnival Against the Arms Trade, that was held on the 4th of June. We, at Critical Mass decided to complete her journey to EDO MBM (ITT) bomb factory that she could not make.
The usual meeting place The Level, 6 p.m. saw police waiting for some sort of a demo. There were: 2 police vans full of coppers, 1 CCTV UNIT van, 6 motorbikes, and none of the police on bicycles.
The ride had commenced as have rode onto Lewes Road escorted by police motorbikes. For a while it felt as if we were prime ministers escorted to some important meeting.
When we had reached the bottom of the Home Farm Road there were few police waiting for us. We then went to the factory to be astonished by the police presence at the factory. There were at least 40 officers with dogs waiting for some sort of a riot.
We have held one minute silence for Marie and went back to town where after a half an hour police had left us alone.
Overall a success.
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This month Manchester critical mass had a one minute silence to honour two passionate cyclists that were killed this month by motorists, and to remember all our cycling comrades that have been killed on the roads.
NORMAN FAY
Norman Fay died on Friday, June 20. He was cycling to the York cycle rally when a motorist collided with him.
“He was just 72 so it’s come as a real shock.
Norman had a well deserved reputation for fine craftsmanship and engineering, and had an infectious love of all things cycling. His bikes have been many people’s introduction to cycling and his experimentation with different cycle forms appealed to hard core enthusiasts and occasional riders alike. I’ve been the lucky owner of a couple of his bikes, one of which I bought when I was 18 and I still have but is sadly gathering dust in the hut.
Both Norman and his late wife Marion were both founding members of South Tyneside Friends of the Earth.
Whilst he died relatively young in modern terms, his continued cycling proved that you’re never to old to get on your bike. Maybe it’s time I dusted off mine.
A true local hero.”
MARIE VESCO
Marie Vesco was killed by a car on Wednesday 4th June while cycling to Brighton. Active in various London social centres, Whitechapel and Brixton Food Not Bombs, she now had plans to open a new social centre.
Marie was part of a group of twelve cyclists who left Brixton in the early hours of the morning to join the Smash EDO demo. They were on the A23 by Burgess Hill when an impatient gas guzzling imbecile swerved across two lanes straight into Marie, then another car hit her. She died instantly, there was nothing her friends could have done. The driver of the second car got straight on his phone as soon as he came to a halt — not for an ambulance but to call his lawyer. He then started pushing Marie’s mates around. One driver has been arrested.