h. nazan ışık —
1 August 2020—
A beautiful summer night; nice, not so hot, no rain, no humid. It was about 21:00, I was on 2nd Ave and 60s Street talking with a friend who lives around there and whom I haven’t seen for a good long time.
“Oh, here they are,” he said.
“Here “who” are? Who is here?” I asked.
“Bike Riders” he answered.
Photo; h. nazan ışık /NKENdiKEN
“Bike riders, bike protests in support of Black Lives Matter,” he continued.
I saw a biker who was carrying “BIack Lives Matter” sign. It was so fast, so unexpected, I didn’t even have time to change settings of my camera, Oh well!
“Are they here regularly?” I asked.
“ I see them here often, but can’t tell you if it is always on the same days, and at the same time” he said.
Photo; h. nazan ışık /NKENdiKEN
“Oh, “I haven’t seen them this crowded before,” said my friend.
Yes, minutes and minutes passed, a river of bicyclists flowed down on Second Avenue.
They were chanting “Black Lives Matter”, “No Justice, No Peace”
Photo; h. nazan ışık /NKENdiKEN
Signs were usually taped on their handlebars and some, like a flag, carried, waved in their hands.
I noticed that almost all of them were wearing masks.
I have heard that there is a group called Street Riders NYC that arranges, organizers protests, but I am not sure if these bikers were part of that group.
Photo; h. nazan ışık /NKENdiKEN
At the back of the group there were bikers all wearing yellow vests, as I saw some at the beginning too.
My friend said, “ They are like “blockers,” who block side street to hold the traffic, so bikers can move without interruption.
And the ones at the back are for blocking vehicles coming up from behind.
Photo; h. nazan ışık /NKENdiKEN
And behind them there were only three police officers on motorcycles following them.
Photos: © h. nazan ışık
© h. nazan ışık