Arrested Mobility
Bikes are a symbol of freedom but that freedom does not extend to people of color, especially our youth.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Police aggressive enforcement against kids (of color specifically) for riding bikes is disproportionate to that of events like critical mass or bike protests such as the incident in New Jersey in the video below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_XXK2qzz8Y&ab_channel=ChristianOrozco⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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This incident is not unique and enforcement is criminalizing youth for not having things like bike registration, proof of purchase, and licensing. These types of policies are ripe for discriminatory practices.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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This type of policing is what Charles T Brown calls “Arrested Mobility”, where BIPOC have been historically and presently denied by legal and authority the inalienable right to move, to be moved, or simply exist do in public space.”⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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This type of over-policing on the mobility of BIPOC for not having a “bicycle license” while there are dozens of mass shootings happening right now by people who can obtain guns with no restriction is what a dysfunctional system looks like.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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So how do we demonstrate care for BIPOC communities without police and how can our bike advocacy spaces hold anti-racist values/cultures with an equity plan at the center? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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We must prioritize investment in low-income communities. Ensure their participation including mothers as heads of house and foreign-born. Use inclusive language and access for bilingual, neurodivergent, elderly, and disabled folks. Organize efforts to decriminalize mobility like bicycling in BIPOC and low-income communities, challenge the racist narratives of Black and Brown bodies. Advocate for the penalization of race-based 911 calls. Mitigate gentrification and displacement, challenge what a bike-friendly, inclusive and accessible city or space means. Safeguard our communities against discriminatory enforcement and practices.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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The safest communities don’t have the most cops, they have the most resources.
More resources on “arrested mobility”
How Can We Do Better? Limits on Black Mobility in Transportation
Confronting power and privilege for inclusive, equitable, and healthy communities