Critical Mass - Some good news
Smoking Wobbler | 02.08.2012 13:35 | Climate Chaos | Social Struggles | Workers' Movements | South Coast | World
A man was this week convicted of Assault (twice) and Criminal Damage for an unprovoked attack on cyclists.
On a warm September evening last year in Brighton, 10-15 riders on Critical Mass came to a stop at the pier roundabout, waiting for the traffic lights to change and discussing where to go next. Christikas Zantis leapt out of his car, pushed someone off their bike, shoved a woman, lunged at another cyclist and then punched a woman in the face when she tried to take his photograph. The woman he punched had her glasses broken (luckily they took the force of the blow) and he then ripped them off her face and tossed them (callously) under a car. That was the criminal damage.
It seems like Zantis simply got the red mist. He now has a criminal record which may impact his job (he's an accountant) and total costs of about £4000.
In a week of bad news for cyclists (the London CM arrests and the tragic death of a cyclist outside the Olympic venue in Stratford yesterday), this is a drop of good news.
A longer report may follow if time permits. For now here's the local gutter press version -
http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/9852918.Accountant_fined_for_assault_at_Brighton_Critical_Mass_protest
On a warm September evening last year in Brighton, 10-15 riders on Critical Mass came to a stop at the pier roundabout, waiting for the traffic lights to change and discussing where to go next. Christikas Zantis leapt out of his car, pushed someone off their bike, shoved a woman, lunged at another cyclist and then punched a woman in the face when she tried to take his photograph. The woman he punched had her glasses broken (luckily they took the force of the blow) and he then ripped them off her face and tossed them (callously) under a car. That was the criminal damage.
It seems like Zantis simply got the red mist. He now has a criminal record which may impact his job (he's an accountant) and total costs of about £4000.
In a week of bad news for cyclists (the London CM arrests and the tragic death of a cyclist outside the Olympic venue in Stratford yesterday), this is a drop of good news.
A longer report may follow if time permits. For now here's the local gutter press version -
http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/9852918.Accountant_fined_for_assault_at_Brighton_Critical_Mass_protest
Smoking Wobbler
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