Video shows cop kiboshing Toronto memorial bike ride

A memorial ride for a cyclist killed in Toronto turned into a tense confrontation between local riders and a police officer on Saturday.

David Shellnutt, a.k.a “The Biking Lawyer,” joined other cyclists to honour Navjot Kaur, who was struck from behind by a driver while cycling with her husband and a friend on Aug. 24. Kaur, riding at the back of the group, was hit despite riding single file near the curb. She was rushed to hospital but later died.

Ghost bike memorial ride

On Saturday, Shellnutt and others gathered for a ghost bike memorial for the 26-year-old. As they prepared to leave, sirens blared, and an officer shouted loudly. “I approached him to see what was wrong and assure him that if there was a problem, we were on our way and would get out safely,” Shellnutt said in an interview with City News. “It was a really unfortunate display of traffic enforcement.”

Despite his efforts to explain they were leaving soon, Shellnutt said the officer was uncooperative. “He wouldn’t listen to a word I said. He threatened me with arrest, then grabbed my bike out of my hands and dropped it,” Shellnutt recounted.

Cyclists put in harm’s way

Shellnutt also posted on X, stating, “He went through the large group of cyclists, pulling bikes out of people’s hands, shouting while we honoured Navjot Kaur. Instead of keeping us safe, he placed us in harm’s way.”

Toronto Police later issued a statement: “During a directed patrol focused on speed enforcement, an officer observed a group of cyclists obstructing westbound traffic. Recognizing the potential safety hazards for both cyclists and motorists, the officer intervened and took appropriate measures to ensure the cyclists moved off the roadway, thereby restoring the flow of traffic. There were no arrests or injuries reported in the incident.”

Shellnutt called the incident an example of the ongoing lack of support cyclists face from police.

“Sure, there are some good officers that we work with, but there is a growing trend, a disturbing one where they get mad at people for confronting them about parking in bike lanes,” he told City News. “They camp out in High Park where there is no serious injury or death, to target and harass cyclists.”

Kaur was the sixth cyclist killed in Toronto in 2024: five more than the previous year.

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