How many people were riding in the Seattle CM ride vs. how many people actually took part in the violence that ensued? Just because a few bad eggs showed up with intentions of furthering a political agenda or causing violence and chaos does not mean that everyone who attended was onboard with the idea. I'd venture to guess 95%+ of the folks showed up that evening planning on a fun ride through the city, not a violent brawl with a cager.

If I go to a football game and a few fans of the opposing team sitting in the row behind me get drunk and start throwing stuff at me for wearing my team colors, is it fair to say that every fan of the opposing team must be a jerk? That is in essence what you are saying about the CM riders- a few folks lashed out and did something stupid so it's okay to generalize that every rider there must have been a protester.

I've ommitted the minor stuff but here is the list of the 'major' police crackdowns-

• New York City, 2004 during (and since) the Republican National Convention.
• San Fransisco, July 1997
• Minneapolis, August 2007
• Atlanta, June 2008

I don't know the exact reason for all the enforcement but I do know the SanFran crackdown began, quite literally, because the mayors limo got stuck in traffic due to the ride and he was late for dinner.