Critical Mass thwarted Bike demo not authorized due to World Cycling Championships
Because of the World Cycling Championships, the Critical Mass has not been granted a permit by the Department of Safety. They refer to the current traffic situation.
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- Since July 2023, the Critical Mass has needed a permit to ride through the city of Zurich.
- Now, for the first time, this permit has not been issued.
- The reason: the World Cycling Championships.
The Critical Mass (CM) always takes place on the last Friday of Monday. Dozens of cyclists cycle through various city centers around the world to draw attention to cycling as a form of individual transport. This is also the case in Zurich.
Since July 2023, however, a permit has been required for the CM in the city of Zurich. Because the actions have repeatedly led to traffic problems, the Zurich city government requires the demo organizers to obtain a permit. The government decided not to appeal against the governor's decision. Since then, a permit has been required for the CM, as for other demonstrations.
So far, the permit has always been issued. On their website, the CM organizers write: "Since April, the city has always issued a permit to allow the Critical Mass. This month is an exception due to the World Cycling Championships, the city does not authorize any bike rides on this Friday evening (except for professional cyclists :-))"
Security Director Karin Rykart (Greens) has refused the permit because of the World Cycling Championships, which are taking place in Zurich this week until Sunday.
When asked by the city magazine "tsüri" that the fundamental right to freedom of assembly is weighed against other interests when examining a demo application, Mathias Ninck, spokesman for the Zurich Security Department, does not contradict this. Ninck says: "The fundamental right to freedom of assembly does not simply exist in isolation and above all else. The task of the state is to weigh up the various interests against each other."
The Critical Mass cannot be allowed to ride through the city while urban traffic is in a state of emergency due to the World Cycling Championships. "That's why the CM's request was approved for the week after the World Cycling Championships."
The CM concludes on its website: "The last Friday of the month remains the last Friday of the month. We are curious to see whether the police will want to chase cyclists in a World Cycling Championship fan zone."