Skating against traffic through the streets of Manhattan

by via Alex and NYC-IMC

Mon, Jun 25, 2007 5:34PM

Skateboarding's Critical Mass (Sort of)
1200 skateboarders celebrated Go Skateboarding Day last week.
By Alex Nathanson

The past Thursday, June 21, 1200 skateboarders came out to celebrate and promote skateboarding.

If you happened to be one of the many confused New Yorkers who watched roughly 1200 skateboarders skate through the streets of lower Manhattan followed by a fair amount of cops it was because this past Thursday, June 21st, was Go Skateboarding Day (GSD), a four-year-old annual holiday created for the celebration and promotion of skateboarding.

According to goskateboardingday.org, “GSD originated as the day for skateboarders to have fun, to raise awareness about the issues we face, to show the world what skateboarding is really all about, to reclaim our culture and to define skateboarding as the rebellious, creative celebration of independence it continues to be.” Thousands of events in more than 35 countries took place on June 21 this year.

continued.....

PHOTOS and MORE HERE:
http://nyc.indymedia.org/or/2007/06/87645.html

§Hot Springs, Arkansas: Police Brutality on Go Skateboarding Day

by via mia and pdx-imc

Wed, Jun 27, 2007 2:29PM

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Hot Springs, Arkansas: More Police Brutality on Go Skateboarding Day
http://portland.indymedia.org/en/2007/06/361512.shtml

A police officer in Hot Springs, Arkansas, was photographed actually choking a thirteen-year old boy before arresting him, and several others (which was captured on video), seemingly for... skateboarding.

A video is circulating the likes of MySpace and YouTube wherein several young boys- and one girl- in Hot Springs, Arkansas, decided to celebrate Go Skateboarding Day. While skateboarding downtown, one was arrested- and it appears to be because he was skateboarding.

One youth took a picture of the Officer Joey Williams on top of thirteen year old Jarad Graham, who was facing up, and Williams has his hand around the boy's throat. After handcuffing the child, he chased the person who took the photograph, leaving the child in handcuffs. Williams later comes back, takes the child to speak with him away from his friends, and tells the boy he was in violation of city ordinance and resisting arrest... resisting arrest for what? WHY was he arrested in the first place?

When his friends come to listen, Officer Williams tells them all to go away, and that they're all in violation of city ordinance as well. He then proceeds to arrest several more people, taking the video camera and setting it on the sidewalk.

The video can be viewed and downloaded here on indybay.org or viewed on youtube.com/watch?v=EH6AYVn2yw4

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