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Driver crashes into pro-Palestine bike ride in Madrid, injuring five cyclists (+ video)Driver crashes into cycists in Madrid

Driver crashes into pro-Palestine bike ride in Madrid, injuring five cyclists (+ video)

Police are investigating motorist for dangerous driving
by Simon_MacMichael
Sun, Oct 29, 2023 13:16
7

A driver is being investigated by Spanish police after he crashed into cyclists taking part in a Critical Mass-style bike ride in Madrid to express solidarity with Palestine.

The incident happened on Thursday evening on the ride organised by the Bicicritica collective, with five of the cyclists sustaining minor injuries, reports The Olive Press.

Bicicritica holds regular rides in Madrid to call for safer infrastructure and promote active travel, but Thursday’s event was dedicated to showing support for the Palestinian people due to the conflict with Israel.

Footage posted to social media shows the driver, who was in a Seat Leon car, knocking over several of cyclists before driving away.

According to messages on Bicicritica’s Telegram channel, the driver initially tried to pass the riders on the San Bernardo roundabout, knocking one of them from their bike.

Cyclists taking part in the ride tried to block his progress on via Alberto Aguilera, with one saying that “he accelerated and knocked a number of them over, fleeing the scene by hitting a number of other people.”

The motorist is reported to have subsequently handed himself in to the Policia Nacional, although he claimed that the incident had begun when he and his partner, who was a passenger in the car, had been assaulted by some of the cyclists.

He was not arrested, and tested negative for alcohol. Police are investigating him in relation to a potential charge of dangerous driving.

Madrid
Palestine
Simon MacMichael

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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7 comments

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mitsky | 1 year ago
3 likes

"Police are investigating him in relation to a potential charge of dangerous driving."

The driver was in control of a vehicle weighing ... several hundred kilos?
And deliberately drove into cyclists that he could see in front of/around him.

If someone held a hammer in their hand, drew their arm back and struck a person's head that was directly in their field of view and in line with the trajectory of the hammer... would that count as "dangerous hammering"...?

Avatar
hawkinspeter replied to mitsky | 1 year ago
1 like
mitsky wrote:

"Police are investigating him in relation to a potential charge of dangerous driving."

The driver was in control of a vehicle weighing ... several hundred kilos?
And deliberately drove into cyclists that he could see in front of/around him.

If someone held a hammer in their hand, drew their arm back and struck a person's head that was directly in their field of view and in line with the trajectory of the hammer... would that count as "dangerous hammering"...?

It certainly doesn't seem to need much investigation and it sounds to me like a "we're going to do nothing about this" kind of response. It would be more convincing if they'd stated "police have arrested the driver for a charge of dangerous driving".

Avatar
neilmck | 1 year ago
4 likes

You have to be careful about frightened motorists. Here in France where we have a large number of protests it does happen that a car driver who gets caught up in a protest will just panic and put their foot on the accelerator just to get out of the crowd.

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marmotte27 replied to neilmck | 1 year ago
4 likes

Only that car driver should never be anywhere near that protest. First job of the police, if they understand/stood it correctly...

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AidanR | 1 year ago
3 likes

Awful. I think that the driver may struggle to claim self defence, given that he's protected by over a ton of metal.

Avatar
mctrials23 replied to AidanR | 1 year ago
4 likes

Probably didn't see them. I think the sun might have been in his eyes as well. 

Who knows what passes for an excuse for mowing down cyclists in Spain. 

Avatar
Car Delenda Est replied to AidanR | 1 year ago
2 likes

And was recorded driving into the back of people cycling away from them

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