Still We Ride + 7 short bike movies from N. America November 18, 2005

The documentary about the struggles of NYC Critical Mass Bicycle Ride 2004-2005.
stillweridethemovie.com

The action packed documentary "Still We Ride" captures the joyous atmosphere of Critical Mass bike rides in NYC before the police crack-down began and the repression that followed. The movie takes on the issues of civil liberties, surveillance, the power of the mainstream media and the benefits of non-motorized transportation. It was the top story at the Bicycle Film Festival 2005.

The Story:
A year ago on Aug. 27, the New York City police mounted a major offensive, but not against drug dealers, terrorists or criminals. They went after people on bicycles, cracking down on a Critical Mass group bicycle ride. Since then, more than 500 cyclists have been arrested and many more have had their bicycles stolen by police. Video evidence shows beautiful, peaceful bike rides in New York with artistic bikes, stunt bikes and even small children on training bikes. Then, the camera shows unresisting cyclists being stopped by the police, beaten to the ground, tear gassed and hauled away in handcuffs. Truckloads of bikes have been confiscated, many cut from their locks while their owners stand by helplessly.

About Critical Mass:
Critical Mass is a worldwide event held in hundreds of cities to celebrate bicycling as an environmentally sound, clean, and above all fun form of transportation. From its beginnings in San Francisco 13 years ago, the idea of a spontaneous bicycle ride - an "organized coincidence" - spread to all corners of the world. The basic message of the rides is "We're not blocking traffic. We are traffic."

About NYC Critical Mass:
In New York City, the rides went peacefully for years. Dozens or even hundreds of cyclists gathered, rode through city streets briefly annoying but also frequently enchanting motorists, then went home. This all changed on August 27, 2004. The ride took place a few days before the Republican National Convention (where the Republican party would select George W. Bush to stand for president again) and an estimated 5,000 riders took part. The police, fearful of any political protest, cracked down hard, arresting 260 riders and bystanders. Many were not released for more than 24 hours and it took weeks for them to regain possession of their confiscated bicycles.

Civil Rights Issues:
The police crackdown on Critical Mass, however, continued even after the Republicans left town. Over the next months, there were arrests at every single Critical Mass ride. The police even sawed through the locks of bicycles attached to posts and poles, a violation of the fourth amendment to the United States Constitution promising due
process before seizure of property.

The screening is a fundraiser for the legal defense of NYC's 18 year old environment non-profit group Time's Up!
times-up.org/cm.php Times Up! needs to raise $30,000 for legal fees because they are being sued by the City of NY for posting Critical Mass Rides on their web calendar. Half the proceeds will go to support Portland's own Mini-Bike Winter. We are asking for $5-10 sliding scale admission.

Other Films on the program:
Fear and Loathing in Jersey City: Hundreds of the world's best urban bikers converged on NYC over Independence Day weekend, this glimpse provided with help from BikeTV.

Velomutation: Vancouver, BC knows how to party: pedal powered tanks, the Sprockettes, and the Make-Out-Bike go together like "naked" and "Canadian." Enjoy the sexiest bike movie ever out of Cascadia.

Untitled... SF 2 DC Courier: From the Left Coast's Bay to the nation's Capitol two wheels got more style than smog. They have lots of smog.

Ride to the Worlds: A late morning trip from Brooklyn to the World Trade Center spliced with random commentary from this year's Cycle Messenger World Championships. Soundtrack by the bike rawk pinkos, Team Spider.

Bikesummer Hell-A: a month of bike themed mirth... in the most car-centric place on earth. Will anyone survive?

big bike, Little Bike: Richmond, VA's Cutthroats and your homegrown Zoobomb heroes take on New York City's Black Label Bike Club. This 3 part short could even be considered artistic. Music by Aa.

Have Wheels, Will Travel: every year 100s of bikers travel down the Pacific Hwy by bike... some with trailers, some with panniers, some with dogs.