I was pinged multiple times in the two days prior to Friday and several friends wrote me, asking if I was going to go… I haven’t been to Critical Mass in San Francisco for about a year, and only went intermittently in the few years before that… it has long ago lost its purpose, its joy, and its function as place to meet, discuss, and imagine a better world.

So I wasn’t expecting more than maybe 150-250 people to show up for this, on the first Friday (as opposed to the longstanding tradition of riding only on Last Fridays). By the time I got there, about 6 pm, the ride was already rolling and it was a sight to behold! Thousands of cyclists were pouring up Market Street, many adorned with the ubiquitous homemade signage of the past weeks of protest. I was SO happy! I couldn’t believe my eyes! I rode and weaved among the cyclists, finding friends, and just enjoying the happy knowledge that A) San Franciscans are all out in solidarity these days; and B) Doing a Critical Mass-style ride is deeply in our cultural DNA. So here’s some shots I took.

One of my first political experiences was attending the San Quentin Six trial back in 1975 in Marin County, and during that period I became aware of the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration (LEAA), a federal agency started under Nixon to standardize police practices nationally and to promote the use of surplus military equipment, a process that has radically expanded in the following decades.

Maybe Critical Mass as a monthly event has passed its time (not such a big deal, after 28 years!)… but it’s great that the tactic was on the shelf ready to be embraced by thousands of San Franciscans who know how to do it!