Cycling safety demonstrators knocked down by a bus in Helsinki

On a ride to protest the death of a cyclist in an alleged road rage incident, several riders are knocked down and involved in a physical altercation with a bus driver

A ghost bike in memory of a cyclist killed in Helsinki (Photo: Twitter/@OutiPopp)

An 850-strong cycling safety demonstration in Helsinki turned sour on Sunday as riders clashed with a bus driver who tried to drive into the lane the cyclists were in.

The riders gathered in the Finnish capital to honour the death of a cyclist in the city the previous week, with the 'march' travelling from the Kiasma Museum to downtown.

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According to Finnish news service YLE, the bus driver tried to merge into the same lane as the cyclists, causing some of them to fall to the ground. Helsinki Police report that the confrontation escalated when the driver threw a cyclist's bike under another bus, which prompted another rider to take the driver's keys from his hand leading to a fist fight.

One participant, Tuomo Reine, told YLE that this sort of behaviour was exactly what the demonstration had been against. The victim of last week's incident was allegedly run down deliberately by a motorist after he criticised his driving.

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The driver of the bus is being investigated by police for traffic endangerment, as well as mild property damage and assault, while the cyclist who took the driver's keys is also being investigated for traffic disruption.

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Stuart Clarke is a News Associates trained journalist who has worked for the likes of the British Olympic Associate, British Rowing and the England and Wales Cricket Board, and of course Cycling Weekly. His work at Cycling Weekly has focused upon professional racing, following the World Tour races and its characters.