Bike Cop joins the rabble & the Commissioner applaudes

ANDREW BOLT
http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,12260098%255E25717,00.html



Our cuddly copsOur police are supposed to uphold the law, but they're more concerned with New Age sensitivity and the rights of aggressors.16feb05PHILIP McCartney had just had his head punched and cab smashed by cyclists of the far-Left Critical Mass as they blocked a city intersection.
So, badly shaken and with his vest torn, the 58-year-old Parkville taxi driver was sure glad to see a policeman ride up on his bicycle.
He won't be that naive again. "I thought police were supposed to uphold the law," he told me, genuinely puzzled, after being found guilty last month of dangerous driving and put on a good behaviour bond in a case that cost him thousands of dollars in legal fees.
Well, it was, Philip, it was. That's why the old motto of Victoria Police is Tenez le Droit -- Uphold the Right.
But an astonishing series of emails from police to Critical Mass -- emails of encouragement, apology and news of police operations -- show that policing under Chief Commissioner Christine Nixon in particular has changed radically.
Upholding the law is old hat. "Policing is about keeping the peace," Nixon has declared, telling her force to be "anti-authoritarian" and "value-driven rather than rule-driven".
These emails, excerpted here, suggest she got just that -- feminised policing that protesters such as Critical Mass exploit to the handlebars. As McCartney found in November 2003.
AT the corner of Little Collins and Exhibition his disabled taxi was stopped by cyclists who blocked the intersection for up to 10 minutes as more than 100 fellow protesters wheeled through. Critical Mass, you may recall, has pulled the same -- illegal -- stunt on Bolte Bridge and in the Domain Tunnel, seemingly without fear of arrest.
Arrest? God forbid. As an assistant commissioner told 3AW last year, our New Age police would instead "facilitate the demonstration".
McCartney tried to argue his way through, and edged forward, accidentally nudging a cyclist who'd propped in front of him.
An accountant, the only independent witness in a police brief on the incident, described the result: "A number of cyclists came up to the taxi van shouting and haranguing the driver. A young male cyclist . . . started to let air from (a) tyre."
McCartney says one cyclist opened his door, tore his jacket and punched him. He claims he was stunned, which may be why his taxi lurched a couple of metres, touching some cyclists but injuring none.
The accountant went on: "The cyclists then swarmed like an angry mob of bullants. Four or five cyclists were striking the side of the taxi passenger windows with their fists.
"A dense group of cyclists was directly in front of the taxi van shouting and thumping on the windscreen.
"One cyclist moved to the rear of the taxi van and was swinging his bike through the air with great force and smashing it against the rear window . . . Another young male cyclist climbed up on to the roof . . . It turned ugly and violent . . ."
Luckily for McCartney, the Melbourne Police Bike Patrol, led by Acting Sergeant Russell Lindsay, then rolled up with the last of the Critical Mass cyclists.
But unluckily for McCartney, Lindsay did not see things his way at all. Indeed, far from charging any of the cyclists, Lindsay eventually charged McCartney instead with unlawful assault and dangerous and reckless driving. Nor would he download since-erased footage from the taxi's sealed security camera, which McCartney says would have shown him being hit, and by whom.
McCartney wonders why Lindsay seemed to him so "uninterested in my side of the story -- and that's putting it mildly". Critical Mass, he alleges, "seemed immune from prosecution".
Was Lindsay -- who police say was not able to comment -- uninterested in McCartney's side and was Critical Mass immune from prosecution?
No, to judge from two emails Lindsay posted on a Critical Mass internet site -- one saying he kept an open mind during the investigation, and the other -- in which he apologised for clashing with a CM protester -- insisting "now and then strong action must be taken" against some cyclists.
STILL, as you see, many other emails Lindsay sent Critical Mass tend to show what seems to me a remarkable eagerness to keep the activists happy.
But this is classic "keeping the peace" policing -- avoiding confrontations, trying to be inclusive, calming and non-judgmental. Some will call it civilised.
But you may also see why activists reading these emails could feel emboldened to blockade streets, and threaten frustrated citizens with arrest by their friends in the force.
You may also see why one of those frustrated citizens then suspects police are more sympathetic to the activists who punch him than they are to him.
Many police have now had enough.
The city's new police chief, Superintendent Mick Williams, banned Critical Mass from illegally using the Burnley tunnel last November, and the activists caved in. This time.
But had there been a showdown, would Christine Nixon have endorsed Williams' bid to uphold the law, rather than the "peace"?
I'd like to think so. "We've listened to public concern," a police spokesman now reassures me -- adding Lindsay had been moved while his bosses pondered the emails I'd pointed out.
But Philip McCartney is still feeling vulnerable. "I don't feel protected out there any more," he said.
bolta@heraldsun.com.au

ANDREW BOLT
http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,12260096%255E25717,00.html


Revealed: the soft arm of the law16feb05ACTING Sergeant Russell Lindsay's emails to a discussion group of the far-Left Critical Mass include these uncorrected extracts:Oct 30, 2004
Fellow riders, I am asking for a proposed route for your birthday ride!! . . .
I think most massers would agree that police need to be there to quell any potential road rage from our fellow citizens, who choose to drive motor cars . . .
In the past, as well as my fellow velocops, we have had the use of police motorcycles . . . But the 26th of November sees them on a huge operation, the details of which I can't divulge (but I can assure any one reading this that they would be pleased with the mission statement of this particular operation . . .)
Mar 6, 2004
I have always said that the police don't always like to be the ones' who growl all the time. And if growling comes from a fellow masser it seems to be more effective.
So having said that, the next time a masser sees someone or a group of someones doing something silly -- like trying to cork (block) a moving freight train -- Could you tell those people that they are being silly . . .
And I believe there are some massers out there who threaten our motor car drivers with lines like, "Don't move any more or the police will charge you." Now the police may or may not charge the driver, but I would think it a little more productive if the massers used some of the more fun and lively quotes when dealing with aggro drivers.
Jan 24, 2004
I am finalising my report on the road rage incident on the Birthday ride in November between a taxi-mini bus and massers at the intersection of Lt Collins & Exhibition. I was hopeful that anybody who witnessed the incident who has not already spoken to me could make contact with my office . . .
Aug 29, 2003
I am asking for some help from you people. Last night some of you may have noticed a certain driver in Epsom Road decide the mass was travelling too slow and overtake it.
This driver is facing CRIMINAL charges for this action. The relevant police member is saying that the drivers actions were beyond dangerous.
May 6, 2003
By the way thinking about the way the police have been doing things on the cmass. I have told our guys we are going to step back a little and let the mass take a bit more control with corking, back line and hrmphing at [criticising] each other if it is needed. We'll still be there to legally stop cars and try to temper the road rage that may occur.
Apr 27, 2003
(In response to a CM rider who asked: "Russell if you can tell the new velocop . . . to relax a little . . .")
Will do :) . . . We are not here to tell good from bad, we are fellow bike riders and go through the same dramas and have similar passion as you do :)
Apr 27, 2003
It is so obvious to me that being Anzac Day I should have expected more road rage than usual?? . . . I guess all that emotion plays havoc on the neuron flow of our car driving brethren . . .
Usually the violence (road rage) occurs when one of the riders engages in a hostile argument with one of the drivers . . . If anyone sees this occurring then please move the rider away (because we all know the rider/masser/cyclist is less likely to become a thrashing machine because they already demonstrate their compassion on fellow man/woman/earth-creature by riding a bicycle).
Now to prevent this sort of situation occurring, what about some discussion between fellow Massers on key-phrases and responses that become part of the dialogue with motor vehicle drivers . . . Eg.
Pollutant, "You don't pay registration. Get off the road.." (RANTING #12)
Masser, "You don't have to pay registration either if you rode a bike . . ." (RESPONSE #12)
May 26, 2002
Last month there were at least three incidents I know where the cmassers' were paying out on the car drivers (simplified view -- there was anxiety by both parties) . . .
I have noticed that if police intervention is needed, my name is called out with regularity. What about just calling out "Police" . . .
Dec 3, 2001
What a ride. The longest yet in my memory . . .
I was very concerned with several nasty road rage instances where from my observations the normally friendly cyclists were anything but friendly.
Nov 29, 2001
Dear riders/ skaters,
4 police members on bikes at this stage. Perhaps one police car (not a traffic car) at the rear but not cobfirmed yet. So please no riots/ murdering of car drivers/ setting of explosions at doughnut factories.
Sep 30, 2001
I only saw one hostile situation which, from accounts from the referee police member, 'twas the cyclist that ibflamed things . . . Enough said about this lets not dwell on the negative.
Jul 27, 2001
Someone asked about bookings on the critical mass. My members haven't booked anyone on critical mass for at least 2 years.