Saturday, September 6, 2008

Bicyclist Attacked By Memphis Police Officer


Last night I saw a bicycle rider attacked by a police officer. 

Around 11:30 p.m., a group of riders headed south on Second Street to the intersection of Second and Beale. With foot traffic very light and no police prohibition at the edge of Beale, the riders rode down Beale to Third Street. Upon seeing further bike traffic as prohibited, the riders turned to head south to bypass the busy section of Beale St. When the cyclists reached Third and Beale, a police officer turned and began waving his arms. To avoid the policeman, who would have otherwise been struck by the bicycles, riders headed south on Third up the sidewalk. 

After six riders passed the officer, he became angry. As the seventh rider passed the officer, the policeman grabbed the cyclist by the shoulder and threw him to the ground. Shocked, I slowed to a stop, worried my friend had broken his arm. When my friend pulled himself from the concrete, the officer stepped as close as he could to my friend, who was now bleeding, and screamed into his face: “Didn’t I tell you to stop?” 

Officer Woodward, badge number 842, had the number “06” pinned to his lapel. After the officer ceased yelling, I asked the him if we were free to go. “You are!” he screamed. “But not your friend! He’s getting a citation!” And after a moment’s pause, he screamed “You’re all getting citations! For hanging around!” We calmly replied that we were concerned that our friend was injured, to which the officer said nothing. After 30 minutes, my friend who was assaulted by a police officer and the three of us that stayed around to be sure he was alright ended up with tickets. 

While we waited, three eyewitnesses offered their phone numbers to us and offered to testify against the police in a court of law. Our court date is set for the 21 of October at 1:30 p.m. 

The citation reads that we had been warned many times before, and had been seen on Beale riding bicycles before. I have never once been warned about riding bikes on Beale St., and had never in my life seen any of the police officers on duty that night. The police report was falsified. 

This type of un-checked violence from police to citizens is not new. This summer, a transgendered woman was assaulted by local police inside a police precinct, and security forces on Beale have been in the news repeatedly for using excessive force. 

In court, we will challenge the charges. We are now investigating a suit against the city for assault and excessive force. Our friend almost broke his arm, and whether it is right or wrong that bicycles are not allowed on Beale St., violation of a pedestrian or bicycle law does not warrant violent force to subdue citizens. 

On Saturday, September 27, a ride will leave from Revolutions Community Bicycle Shop at First Congregational Church and proceed to Beale Street. We will dismount from our bicycles and walk the entire length of Beale St. 

Please forward this message along to interested parties. For more information or to share similar stories, please contact Anthony Siracusa: 901.949.1201 or 
sirac@rhodes.edu
Photo above is demonstrative in purpose and does not actually depict this said incident.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I guess you all failed to see the signs that said "no bicyclists". Morons. I am guessing this was a set up from the start. Find something productive to fill your lives. I am guessing that you will be back next weekend to challenge the law and attract more attention to your ignorance.

Anonymous said...

-I've ridden my bike plenty of times on a Saturday evening down Beale and have rarely had an issue. The only problem I have had was a run-in with the MPD regarding the light and helmet laws in the city. The police force on Beale is pretty much a joke to me. They're all pricks with nothing else to do but stop bro's from dunk raging out on Beale and dudes who think they are hard because they carry guns to bars...

BUT, every time i ride down it i expect a cop to stop me because there are signs warning bikes not to go down the street so it's really is no surprise to me that this happened. I don't know if walking your bikes down Beale is going to help the situation but I wish you the best of luck in court even though i don't think the case will hold up.
Also, to the dick who wrote above me, go fuck your self you fagot cop.
Thanks guys!



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