Bikers against Bush held

2004-08-28 17:30

New York - In the first major clash between police and demonstrators converging for the Republican national convention, more than 250 bicyclists were arrested during a protest ride that snaked through the city.

Bikers chanted anti-Bush slogans, stifled traffic and, in some places, argued with motorists during the Friday night ride, which drew thousands of cyclists.

Deputy police commissioner Paul Browne said the bikers had caused "massive disruptions" and endangered motorists.

Participants said their ride was peaceful and that the arrests were an excessive show of force.

Police had passed out leaflets to the riders warning them not to ride more than two abreast, and many of them ignored that warning, Browne said.

"We gave them every opportunity to comply with the law," Browne said. "Those who didn't were arrested."

A total of 264 people were arrested as of early Saturday, according to a police spokesperson.

The protest began as a monthly Critical Mass bike ride, but what was usually a crowd of hundreds swelled to thousands, with organisers saying the excursion drew a horde of bikers who wanted to protest the convention.

Bill Dobbs, of the antiwar group United for Peace and Justice, said the monthly Critical Mass ride "has provided joy to bicyclists and bystanders for years now."

"The arrests are completely unnecessary," Dobbs said.

"Police needlessly escalated tension. Let us hope that they are more restrained as we go into the convention period."

While the Friday night event was the largest so far, it followed a day of demonstrations.

Earlier in the day, hundreds of moms with small children - plus some dads - pushed strollers across the Brooklyn Bridge in another protest against President George W Bush.

The group - called MOB - was led by a pair of 4-year-olds with their "Kids for Kerry" banner.

At the convention, Republican delegates from each state will officially choose Bush as the party's candidate for November 2 elections.

The four-day convention starts on Monday, but delegates began arriving over the weekend.

- AP