Cyclists talk to race organizers as protesters leave. Photo: Getty Images/Pauline Ballet
As if not only was the men's World Championship race stopped by protesters glued to a Scottish country lane, it was even more poignant to listen to one of the main characters' reckless explanation of this idiotic act. “As a trans woman, I was told by the UCI that I was not welcome on the bike path,” said Rebecca Kerr. “At the same time, they let the petrochemical company field a team, showing that they don’t care about people. I'm taking to the track to point out this hypocrisy and advocate for a better future.»
Kerr is 28, but the standard of argument here would be laughable even in student politics. Indeed, the justification for this latest sporting sabotage, which delayed the men's peloton by almost an hour while five fanatics were hoisted off the runway, achieved the unenviable honor of being doubly illogical. First, the proposal to ban trans women is wrong, given that Kerr, if fast enough, will be able to compete freely in the men's category. Secondly, the idea of targeting cycling, which only serves to promote environmentally friendly transportation, is so ridiculous that it highlights the lack of common sense.
Not content with seeking attention, the protesters added reality deniers to the mix. A real feat, as they say. The World Championships in Glasgow has most likely always been the target of the trans lobby as it was the first global event held since the UCI decision that only those born female should compete in women's races, but the message was still stubbornly hushed up. “Not welcome,” Kerr said. Not true. Trans cyclists like Britain's Emily Bridges are not banned at all, they are simply forced to race on the basis of an unchanged biology.
This should not be a controversial position. Over the past five months, cycling, rowing, athletics and swimming have been forced to abandon the damaging effects of ideological takeover by rewriting policies to ensure that the integrity of women's sport is protected. But the noisy drumming of trans activists lingers in the background. Their tactic now, judging by the turmoil in Scotland, is to project their message under the guise of an environmental campaign. The reason is that this joining forces helps to increase their discontent. In truth, they look even more hopelessly confused.
Cyclists relax as they wait for the protesters to disperse. away Credit: Getty Images/Pauline Ballet
All this stunt, by combining the rhetoric of Just Stop Oil and Trans Women Are Women, has accomplished is to make the public hostility towards such actions even more intransigent. Aside from endangering cyclists, the protesters on that rural road in the Carron Valley didn't even get the publicity they craved. The only entry was of riders and support cars coming to a stop, with an announcement in the comment: «We're in some sort of lockdown.» The view of the five people attached to the pavement was never shown. So what purpose did they serve if the strength of the protest lay in its visual impact?
Scottish pressure group This Is Rigged claimed responsibility for this, arguing that they wanted to take issue with Ineos, the petrochemical giant that owns the sprawling Grangemouth industrial complex and also sponsors the Ineos Grenadiers cycling team. Except that in Glasgow no one advertises Ineos, and athletes ride for themselves and for the countries they represent. Not that the men's race can be blamed for contributing to carbon emissions, as several roads have been forced to close to make room for cyclists. At almost every level you want to look at, the protest crusade is crumbling under the weight of its own contradictions.
You wondered why it took 50 minutes to remove them so the event could continue. Police aren't always so lenient elsewhere: senior officials at the Tour de France last July dragged climate activists from Derniere Renovation off the road into a ditch to avoid accidents. When Raoul Semmler, a former German soap opera actor, used sand and superglue to tie himself to a street in Mainz last year, police used a jackhammer to cut his fingers and sent him home with a piece of asphalt stuck to his arm. p>
It's tempting to look at similar answers here. As if law-abiding citizens weren't tired enough of skipping family funerals or hospital visits because of some misguided road warriors, major sporting events are now under threat. Trans militants and eco-agitators together? One gets the impression that, listening to the language of Rebecca Kerr, they all now merge into one single front of absurdity.
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