Australia is one of two countries with mandatory helmet laws even for adult cyclists (the other is New Zealand). But in a reversal, all charges against Beard were dropped, and the police were ordered to pay him AU $2,000 in compensation. Beard says he suffered a shoulder injury in the altercation.
In the surveillance video, Beard is shown riding down the steps without mishap, then loitering just outside the frame. He next rides through the frame slowly as a police officer grabs him from behind and pulls him backward off the bike to the ground. There is no audio. Police allege that Beard punched a police officer in the head, but the security footage does not show that. Beard's lawyer says Beard stopped when he was pulled to the ground.
Related: Do Helmet Laws Unfairly Target Minorities?
It's rare for police officers to assault cyclists, but not unheard of. In 2010, a former New York City police officer was convicted of lying about a widely publicized 2008 incident where he body-checked Christopher Long off his bike during a Critical Mass protest. Pogan was acquitted of assault. In the Gold Coast case, the officer is under investigation for use of excessive force.
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