Bicyclists Reclaim Public Space in NYC

Brandon Neubauer of Times Up, a bike activist group in New York City, talks about the Bike National Convention, what bikes have to do with the RNC, and what bike activists are doing during the convention.

INTRO

Next up, an interview Kat and Doug from Rise Up Radio recorded recently with Brandon from Times Up, a environmental direct action group. They talk about what bikes have to do with the RNC, and what bike activists are doing during the convention.

OUTRO (Aug 27)
[over last minute of over seg; Beatles' "Why Don't We Do It in the Road"]

Tonight at 7pm, the Critical Mass bicycle convergence will depart from Union Square North. The community bike ride has been a monthly tradition in New York since 1998, proceeding peacefully with minimal police intervention. This time, however, the NYPD has threatened riders with possible arrest. On Monday, NYPD brass hand-delivered a letter to Transportation Alternatives, a bicycle advocacy group, identifying Critical Mass participants as lawbreakers and warning that all traffic violations will be met with arrest.

Times Up organizer Ludmila Svoboda [lude-ME-la SVO-buh-duh] told Rise Up Radio she sees the move as an attempt to intimidate protesters on the doorstep of weeklong anti-RNC events. Ludmila and other Critical Mass participants vow to once again reclaim public space.

For breaking news on tonight's ride and more, tune in to the A.Noise webstream, which goes live tonight in the Indymedia Convergence Space. Visit radio dot socialtechnology dot net to listen in. That's radio.socialtechnology.net. Or visit the new york indymedia site at nyc.indymedia.org.