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Video: Thousands of young cyclists take to London’s streets in knife crime protest

BikeStormz 6 supported the #BikesUpKnivesDown campaign and had backing from Metropolitan Police

An estimated 4,000 young cyclists took to London’s streets on Saturday to protest against knife crime following a spate of murders in the capital.

The BikeStormz 6 ride, organised by 19-year-olds Jake100 and MAC, was held in support of the nationwide #BikesUpKnivesDown campaign.

Participants rode from Tooley Street, close to City Hall, to Oxford Street, reports The Independent.

MAC, who co-founded the BikeStormz movement in 2014, told the newspaper: “This is the biggest ride out for the youth against knife crime.

“We want people to put the guns down, put the knives down and for everyone to love their life, live their life and be peaceful and respectful,” he added.

“Never leave your house with a bad intention.”

Videos posted online of Saturday’s ride and previous Bikestormz events show riders pulling wheelies and weaving in and out of traffic.

However, the initiative, which is aimed at bringing young people together and overcoming social barriers, has the support of the Metropolitan Police and Mayor of London Sadiq Khan.

Participants in Saturday’s ride – some as young as nine – came from across the UK.

One, 13-year-old Ruby Bailey, who belongs to the Street Elitez bike community, said: “This is the big ride of the year.

“We all get together and there are people from Birmingham, Cardiff and all over the UK.

“We’re not here to cause trouble. Everyone thinks we are, but we’re not.

“Some of the people here used to be involved in knife crime, but since they got on their bikes, they switched their lives around and stopped using knives.”

Broadcaster Jeremy Vine was among those who tweeted their support on social media - though some London taxi drivers weren't so welcoming.

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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10 comments

Avatar
BehindTheBikesheds | 6 years ago
2 likes

Didn't take long for the bedwetting twatterati to out themselves, cab drivers having a pop can fuck right off, they've absolutely no room to be shouting the odds about safety and hypothetical criminality in the future.

As for Beverly Rose banging on about helmets, maybe she thinks the stab victims should have being wearing stab vests ...

Avatar
Bob's Bikes | 6 years ago
2 likes

Wasn't that nice of Deanieweanie to incriminate himself like that by using a handheld mobile phone whilst in charge of a motor vehicle (even stopped at lights it is still illegal) Don't think I'm going to hold my breath while we wait for the police to bring him to account though!

Avatar
CygnusX1 | 6 years ago
2 likes

Some pretty dope skillz (I'm down with the kidz, me!) in that video.  Especially the "wheelie to manual with hand drags" at the end (somebody more down than I am will no doubt correct me with the proper name for that trick).

#BikesUpKnivesDown

Avatar
ConcordeCX | 6 years ago
1 like

 Love this. Anyone else notice Rod Stewart crossing the road at the end of the Saint Pancras video 0:27?

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don simon fbpe | 6 years ago
3 likes

Aren't these those so callled "ferals" that people were referring to on here not so long ago? Seem a pretty responsible bunch to me.

Good on 'em.

Avatar
Miller | 6 years ago
7 likes

When I see a kid pulling a wheelie on a public road, I think - I wish I could do that.

Avatar
Simon_MacMichael replied to Miller | 6 years ago
2 likes

Miller wrote:

When I see a kid pulling a wheelie on a public road, I think - I wish I could do that.

Me too. I suspect that given the fact that when I ride in London, it's on an ex-Royal Mail bike with a 10-kilo dog in the front basket, my efforts are forever doomed to failure  1

 

Avatar
fukawitribe replied to Simon_MacMichael | 6 years ago
3 likes
Simon_MacMichael wrote:
Miller wrote:

When I see a kid pulling a wheelie on a public road, I think - I wish I could do that.

Me too. I suspect that given the fact that when I ride in London, it's on an ex-Royal Mail bike with a 10-kilo dog in the front basket, my efforts are forever doomed to failure  1

 

Stoppies it is then...

Avatar
Dnnnnnn replied to Simon_MacMichael | 6 years ago
2 likes
Simon_MacMichael wrote:
Miller wrote:

When I see a kid pulling a wheelie on a public road, I think - I wish I could do that.

Me too. I suspect that given the fact that when I ride in London, it's on an ex-Royal Mail bike with a 10-kilo dog in the front basket, my efforts are forever doomed to failure  1

Bigger dog in the back then.

Avatar
davel | 6 years ago
3 likes

I've genuine contempt for the spiteful arseholes who resent groups of kids pulling wheelies on public roads. I wish nasty things on those who have narrow-minded shit to spout about them doing so in protesting proper problems.

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