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Citi Bike has issued a number of acknowledgements of its disrupted service during this “challenging time for the city,” as it alludes that its hands are tied by the mayor’s office. “We recognize what a challenging time this is for the City and are appreciative of all the work by our public officials on behalf of New Yorkers,” a spokesperson for Lyft told VICE via email, echoing the sentiment shared by the Citi Bike Twitter account. “Citi Bike is a public-private partnership, and we were required by our partners in New York City government to discontinue service during curfew hours. We know how disruptive this is to everyone who relies on Citi Bike, especially essential workers, and apologize."The company is likely concerned that simply releasing the bikes in solidarity with essential workers and protesters, would be a breach of contract, giving the city cause to sue or void the entire agreement. In the past, Lyft has pushed back on city regulations when those regulations threatened their bottom line; why that isn’t an option now, as the essential workers the company recently promised to serve are stripped of access, remains unclear.Plenty clear is the vital role Citi Bike has played in the week’s protests, especially as people scramble to comply with the city’s curfew, with driving banned in most of Manhattan, and cops reportedly blocking the entrances to bridges and subway stations. A bike is a much faster means of getting somewhere, according to Citi Bike’s own slogan, than walking. It also seems distinctly wrong that the NYPD, among the many other tools they have at their disposal, would have unfettered access to bikes they often use to intimidate and kettle protesters, while civilians’ personal transportation access is cut off.
Even historically annoying features of the Citi Bikes are now being put to use by protesters: Riding or slowly walking alongside a bike helps a person maintain social distancing, even in a crowd, thanks to its clunky frame. At 45 pounds, they’re a pain in the ass to ride up even a very slight incline, but protesters have used their heft for things like forming a barricade or breaking through something made of a material such as glass. In Paris on Wednesday, protesters even made an effective demonstration out of piling bikes and scooters up and lighting them on fire.Cutting off access to micromobility services on a whim is a transparent protest-squashing move by the cities giving these directives. But it’s hard to believe that the penalty for disobeying or even challenging the orders would be something that any well-funded company couldn’t handle. Releasing the scooters and bikes, in the service of solidarity against police brutality, would certainly have more impact than previous gestures, like Citi Bike's introduction of rainbow bikes during Pride—which, some might remember, began as an anti-police protest.Follow Hannah Smothers on Twitter.