As protests against police brutality and in support of the Black Lives Matter movement have swept the nation, in response to George Floyd’s killing by a former Minnesota police officer on May 25, police officers have been caught using bikes as makeshift weapons against demonstrators.
The images and videos, quickly spreading over social media, are eye-opening for many. In New York City, an officer allegedly used his bike to push back protesters. In Atlanta, an officer escalated a situation by using his bike as a weapon, only to have it wrested away from him by a bystander. In Seattle, officers in gas masks allegedly used bikes to corral protestors while their compatriots on the other side advanced. In Philadelphia, Police Staff Inspector Joseph Bologna Jr.—who has a history of misconduct—lunged at a young protestor who tapped his bike tire, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.