Vancouver Critical Mass

Mostly event announcements, news, and bicycle related activist opinions...
Download Critical Mass flyers and posters, or upload your own
Email vancouvercm~AT~gmail~DOT~com for a posting password
Yes, we ride the last Friday of every month!

23.8.08

Vancouver Police Terrorize 3 year old?


Man arrested and released after taking naked son to bike ride in Vancouver
The Canadian Press
VANCOUVER — Naked cyclists converged on Vancouver's main police station Saturday after a man was arrested with his three-year-old son during a nude ride earlier in the day.

Naked Bike Ride spokesman Conrad Schmidt said six squad cars and a paddy wagon showed up as the group of about 75 naked cyclists arrived along the city's English Bay.

He said the boy was in tears as police took him and his father away.

Schmidt said the arrest prompted the group to cycle through downtown Vancouver to the police station.

Vancouver Police Const. Jana McGuinness said several people had called police, concerned about the child's well-being. Police arrived and reached an agreement with the man that both he and his child would wear underwear during the ride.

As he left to join the group on the ride, the man [a.k.a. his father!?] stripped his and his son's clothes off. The father was then arrested at the scene of the bike ride under public nudity laws.

However, McGuinness said it appeared the man regretted his actions.

"When they were leaving (the scene) it was under the understanding that perhaps he hadn't shown the best judgement, there were a number of people that took offence to the child being naked in the group and subjected to people's scrutiny," she said. "It sounds like it's been a good lesson all around."

Not all the cyclists who made the trip through Vancouver's tourist-crowded downtown core supported the protest.

One cyclist who declined to give her name said the man took off the boy's pants [neutral language, eh]

She said most of the cyclists did not agree with the situation and would not be protesting. [really? then why did they go to the copshop to support him? that doesn't make sense]

"The leaders of this event do not support what the guy did," she said.

"I think that's wrong. The kid's a minor." [kid=minor... makes sense... and nudity is for adults only? pervert!]

The ride went down the city's crowded Robson Street, stopping [sure?] both vehicle and pedestrian traffic and drawing hoots and horns.
What the heck is going on here? Obviously we're not getting the whole story from the toady media. I suppose we shouldn't rush to judgement but it looks like the morality police are running roughshod over this family. On one ride I've done (not a large organised one) a cop in a paddywagon took offence and tried to get me in trouble. He called in more cops to support him... which lead to it becoming apparent to the other police that he was the problem not me and eventually they just left and most of the other officers thought it was funny/a waste of their time. This seems like a similar situation except that the police who came to support didn't have the common sense to undermine the moralist... maybe he had a higher rank?

I don't understand the anti-nudity stance being applied to children more than adults. That's the opposite of logical. Children love being naked and obcenity is a lot more likely from adults. Kids shouldn't be encumbered by such stupid anti-nudity laws. Breastfeeding and toplessness is actually a right, though full nudity can be considered "lewd" upon the subjective judgement of the officer. This ride isn't an adult or sexual event - it's nude. This story has a lot of major problems which makes me rush to judge it. For instance supposedly a cyclist said "the man took off the boy's pants" is very perverse... yes, 3 year olds get dressed by their parents... I wasn't at this ride but I have been on many rides and would be extremely surprised if the character of this was so different from the many I have been to.

In a way I hope they charge the dad so that he can embarass the VPD in court. Though more likely it will be another illegal/harrassment arrest without charge (which does mean less hassle in the long term so many don't complain and it is common)

I'm quite interested in this because now that I have a son I've considered taking him on the WNBR but haven't actually done it yet for various reasons (Gimme a break it was cold this June, he is only 7 months old -- he has gone to 2 CMs and a Kidical Mass already)

does anyone have more info about this?

Labels: , , ,

10 Comments:

  • At 9:14 pm, August 23, 2008, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    it's about time our boys (and girls) in blue finally got some balls, which, unlike some perverts, they keep safely stowed away in their undergarments for proper same-sex use.

    when i was a child, i wasn't allowed to prance around naked. my father beat me, as is a man's right to do. so i don't see why any other child should be allowed to do the same.

    we live in a country protected by laws. those laws state, and i quote, that it is illegal for children and their dads to be rocking around town crotch-free! someone's gotta pay for this. when i see nakeds i think dirty thoughts. that's why it's against the law and we get protection from ourselves when the police arrest people.

    that child got what he deserved. if it were up to me, he'd be in millhaven maximum on death row to teach a lesson to others not to make me think bad thoughts. that's the law.

     
  • At 11:24 am, July 24, 2009, Anonymous check yourself! said…

    Mr Anonymous (the previous commentator) remarked "when I see nakeds I think dirty thought" If your dirty thought apply to 3yr olds then you are a pedophile and belong in prison. It is a shame that you need protection from yourself. If that is the case then you should seek clinical help.

    Young children are not sexually aware and should not be punished for being naked. Beating a child for being naked not only wrongly teaches a child to be ashamed of his/her body but it also speaks volumes on the adult's pedophillic feelings that cause them to punish a young child for presenting them with temptation.

    Yes parents should protect their children from the eyes of prying perverts. But no child should be made to feel ashamed of his/her natural body.

    Mr Anonymous, please educate yourself on the basic psychology of child development. And while you are at it, check in on your (and your father's) dirty thoughts about naked children.

     
  • At 1:49 pm, July 31, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    "Protection from ourselves" doesnt fly here.

    If you beat your kid/ wife YOU go to jail not them for doing anything that might have provoced it.

    Welcome to the west, wanna live here learn the rules.

    No beating your kids..

     
  • At 9:16 pm, September 07, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    The first anonymous person was very obviously being sarcastic.

    I've been to many nudist beaches and resorts and all of them have children. It is perfectly legal. I agree with the author in that nudity does not have to be sexual in any way. the fact that we are uncomfortable with nudity gives it sexual meaning. We are all born naked and have every right to be naked anywhere. As for the child, there is nothing wrong with him seeing adults naked. it is not profanity, it's nudity. it's just what we look like without clothes on. no one is being targeted or flashed. everyone is being free and comfortable with themselves. if you don't like it, don't look and get the fk over it.

     
  • At 1:47 pm, October 07, 2010, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    if nudity is not sexual then why "get naked" to have sex? why not leave everything covered up and try to have sex that way? won't get very far will you? i know we are born naked but babies are not sexaul like adults are.

     
  • At 2:06 pm, October 07, 2010, Blogger Rusl Bicycle said…

    The point is that kids don't think nudity is sexual. It's not a natural thing to think. People do in fact "get off" on clothing all the time - many people prefer porn where people are partially clothed rather than fully naked. There are clothes that will allow you to intercourse.

    I wish we were as vigilant policing the exposure of violence to children as we are about sexuality. And I wish we were more open and less creepy about children and sexuality. Children are sexual to a certain degree as all humans are. But they don't understand their sexuality. They need protection and education. That means leaving them with nothing but perverse, racy advertising (clothed mind you) and schoolyard gossip is a very bad substitute parents and community members being open and (in measured amounts) open about sexuality.

    Balance is crucial.

    The WNBR does get sexualised in an adult way by some people. Its too bad because the freedom of nudity is a lot more interesting. I think its just that there is such a dearth of other public nudity all the repressed views of nakedness get squeezed onto the media portrayal of the ride. I love riding naked but I'm uncomfortable on the WNBR at the beginning when there are 200 photographers waiting for it to start. After that point however the ride is pretty OK because 99.9% of the photographers don't show up with a bike so we leave them behind.

    Personally if I was organising such an event I would probably want to ban cameras.

     
  • At 2:28 pm, February 27, 2011, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Ooooooh, were halfway there.
    AAAAAAAAAAAHah living on a prayer.
    Take my hand well make it i swear..
    AAAAAAAAAAAHah living on a prayer.
    come on guys break it down.

     
  • At 11:02 pm, September 20, 2011, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Will you all just back to Ontario already. Vancouver was so much nicer before Toronto showed up.

     
  • At 11:15 pm, September 20, 2011, Blogger Rusl Bicycle said…

    Toronto? huh?

    I've never been there. But I'd like to go someday.

    There are indeed a lot of Ontarians here in BC. I find it noteworthy when I happen across someone also born here, such as myself.

    If you're trying to criticise Critical Mass for not being indigenous - you're not going to get much traction. There isn't much with as much "street cred" as riding a bike in your own city.

     
  • At 7:33 pm, July 06, 2012, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    No one is making you think those dirty thoughts. Its your own dirty and fikthy mind. Nudity is not dirty in itself. Your parents abused you in some way that is why your thoughts are all screwed up. Nobody can make you think anything.

     

Post a Comment

Please be respectful and constructive. If you want to vent or hate do it somewhere else. Violent, threatening and abusive comments will be removed. Please read other posts and discussion to avoid duplicate questions.

<< Home