More Photos of last nights Memorial

Brandie2, originally uploaded by Green Biker.

This response comes form www.nyc.indymedia.org

Drewo:

We were at the memorial for Brandi Bailey at Houston and Avenue A. People adorned her Ghostbike with flowers. A group rode over from Andrew's memorial and joined us later -- maybe 20 people in total. It was raining a bit. Ocassionaly a passerby would ask about the memorial, a few stopped to read the notes. Some others made the sign of the cross as they passed.

I spoke to a cop when I first arrived. For some reason the cops thought this was important enough to send about 3 cars and 6 men. The cop introduced himself and seemed intelligent enough. He asked how many people were coming. I told him his guess was as good as mine. Then I looked him in the eye and told him nobody really wanted to be there.

I asked him about the recent round of automobile-releated deaths of cyclists and pedestrians. He talked about how the streets have always been dangerous and mentioned Queens Blvd. ("the Blvd. of Death"). I told him that what has most people upset is that the drivers are not held accountable at all. I told him I could get in a car and run over an old lady and then say "oh, I didn't see her" and drive off.

I went on to tell him that in Japan any driver involved in an accident resulting in a death, whether responsible or not, automatically loses his license. I am not even sure if this is true! But I like the sound of it. He didn't have much to say; I'm glad I could (calmly) give him a piece of my mind.

Eyewitness News stopped by and recorded some video. Maybe it'll show up at 11.

Thanks to Visual Resistance and the other folks who contributed to the memorial.
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I recorded Channel 07 and watched 02 last night at 11:00pm. Neither channel felt the recent death of cyclists was a news worthy story. They did however feel it was important to run a story on the Coney Island Hot Dog eating contest and an auction for Marlon Brando's useless shit. They also ran about 5 minutes on the racist beating in Howard Beach last night. Now don't get me wrong. Violence is wrong, but those black youths admited they were in the neighborhood to steal cars. It's not like they were selling girl scout cookies. There is no reason for racist remarks or for the use of violence, but the news was spending a lot of time and a press conference with the mayor to try and flush out the racial profiling aspects of the story. Funny how racial profiling goes on everyday with the NYPD and is encouraged in New Jersey and there is never a peep about that. Meanwhile we are getting killed on our bikes and its not important enough to make the broadcast news.