Over 200 people took part in late afternoon Friday in the Brussels monthly event for cyclists mobilizing themselves to demand more room for mopeds and cycles in the public space. “Masse critique’’ will celebrate its 20-year anniversary Saturday afternoon on a circuit setting off from the Cinquantenaire Park.
Cyclists started to gather at 6 pm at Porte de Namur for their usual crossing of the city on the last Friday of every month. A little before 7 pm, they took the road heading for the Port avenue. The duration of the circuit was around two hours.
“As for all of the ‘Masses critiques,’ the aim is to be visible, to no longer put up with traffic, but to become traffic,” explains Benjamin François, a regular participant, member of Gracq (Group for daily cyclists research and action). “It is the number that allows us to do it. Our grievances have been the same for 20 years. Little is done, even if we begin to see a few cyclist facilities. We usually ride through problematic spots to emphasize them, but we do so in a festive manner. Every month, we demand the same things, and we observe that there is no progress. (…) We hope that if we become really numerous, it will change, and each month we are a little more numerous.’’
This bicycle event called “Masse critique’’ was born in San Francisco in the nineties. It is organized since in over 300 cities worldwide. It pursues the objective of obtaining greater attention for cyclists in the public space.
The 20th anniversary of “Masse critique’’ in Brussels will be celebrated Saturday. The cyclists will meet as of 2 pm in the Cinquantenaire Park. The starting point of this “bike ride’’ will be at 3 pm. Cyclists from all over the country are expected to attend.
The Brussels Times
