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WASHINGTON, DC – The roar of hundreds of motorcycles echoed through the halls of the Texas State Capitol in Austin. This year, January 23rd marked the day where bikers from all walks of life, representing all corners of Texas and beyond gathered together in unity to send a strong message to lawmakers: end the unconstitutional practice of motorcycle profiling.
Citing a survey issued by the Motorcycle Profiling Project completed last year, instances of profiling of motorcyclists is on the rise in the U.S. With a participation level of over 5,000 motorcyclists nation-wide, over 50% reported being unjustifiably stopped by police at least once while riding their motorcycles. According to state laws passed in Washington and Maryland, motorcycle profiling is defined as, the arbitrary or illegal use of the fact that an individual rides a motorcycle or wears motorcycle-related attire as a factor in deciding to stop, question, take enforcement action, or make an arrest.
Dozens of other states have already introduced similar legislative proposals in 2017. Even the U.S. Congress addressed the issue in 2016 through the introduction of a bill in the House of Representatives. Though its unclear if the Texas legislature will introduce an anti-profiling bill, the dynamic between law enforcement and the motorcycle community continues to be tense after an incident in 2015 in the state that left nine people dead and hundreds arrested.
But despite the controversy in Texas, many see value in continuing to raise concerns over motorcycle profiling on a national scale; especially considering the outcome in the states that already passed anti-profiling laws. In Washington state, which passed their profiling measure in 2011, reported incidents of motorcycle profiling have dropped approximately 90 percent since legislation was signed into law. And in Maryland, though the law was only passed last year, preliminary reports suggest the number of incidents of motorcycle profiling are down.
Back in Austin, motorcyclists communicated these statistics to any lawmakers that would listen. “Riding a motorcycle or wearing a leather jacket doesn’t make me a criminal,” said Russell Radke, a member of the National Council of Clubs, the National Coalition of Motorcyclists, and a Member of the Board of Directors to the Motorcycle Riders Foundation. Radke is also International Vice President for the Soldiers for Jesus Motorcycle Club. “We need to send a strong message to lawmakers – unlawful profiling of motorcyclists will not be tolerated.”
The Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) has led the fight in Washington, DC to bring awareness to the issue. Through work with its partners within the Anti-Profiling Action Group, the MRF will continue to advocate in 2017 for a national solution to end the practice of the profiling of motorcyclists and support its members at the state level in their own advocacy efforts.
The well-established leader in the anti-profiling movement and the force behind the Motorcycle Profiling Project, David "Double D" Devereaux also attend the Texas events speaking at the State Capitol rallying the crowds; “Motorcyclists view the state of Texas as ground zero in the effort to preserve motorcyclist’s civil liberties and the fight against profiling and discrimination…they have chosen to stand up and fight for their liberties.”