2 Million Bikers Rally on 9/11
As part of a group called “2 Million Bikers,” motorcyclists from across the states and Canada descended on Washington D.C. Wednesday to commemorate the victims of 9/11 and military veterans.
Speaking to Fox & Friends, the ride’s co-coordinator, Belinda Bee, said the ride planned on the 12th anniversary of 9/11 was initially designed to protest the American Muslim Political Action Committee’s “1,000,000 Muslims March to the Capital,” which was originally titled “The Million Muslim March.”
This sprouted some controversy, and Washington D.C. denied a permit to the “2 Million Bikers,” officials saying the ride would disrupt the workday. Bee says the denial was clearly a sign of political agenda.
The 2 Million Bikers’ initial protest agenda was changed to a more simpler biker rally. And though lacking a ride-through permit that would have provided police escort to quickly get through the Capital, the motorcyclists continued their ride-through agenda.
“We have a constitutional right to ride those streets. We pay taxes. We are taxpaying Americans,” Bee said. “Had they issued the permit and police escort it would have taking three hours; now it’ll take six to eight.”
As of 4:30 p.m. EDT Wednesday, the rally proceeded without incident, and D.C officials reported the presence of easily over a million motorcycles. And as for the 1,000,000 Muslims March – who were granted a permit to march – about 25 were witnessed protesting.
Riders began arriving in D.C. Tuesday, providing loads of photos and commentary on the ride’s social media pages, such as the 2 Million Bikers Facebook.
Bee says the 2 Million Bikers rally will be an annual event. She just hopes next year Washington D.C. grants some permits for a ride through the nation’s Capital with police escort, which will help not disrupt Washington D.C.’s normal workday.
