NTQ! Pods: Mass arrests during London's Critical Mass ride near Olympic Stadium

Pictured: Pavel Gaik, standing with a borrowed bike.

NTQ!'s Heather Turner speaks with Pavel Gaik, who was one of nearly 200 cyclists kettled and detained on Friday night outside of the Olympic Stadium as the opening ceremony unfolded. The cyclists were part of "Critical Mass," a cycling event that is held monthly in London and in hundreds of cities and towns across the globe. When some two hundred cyclists approached the Olympic Stadium, they were met by London's Metropolitan Police and transport police. The Critical Mass cyclists were kettled for hours and later detained on buses. Police later charged three of the cyclists with various crimes including assaulting a police officer, according to the Guardian. Pavel Gaik was one of the one hundred and eighty two cyclists who were detained and had their cycles confiscated.

NTQ! Pods: Olympic Ceremony Preview

Photo by Bowen Sun.

NTQ's Heather Turner speaks with London student Bowen Sun, who watched the Olympic Ceremony's technical rehearsal on Monday night. The Ceremony's director, Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire, 28 Days Later, 127 Hours), asked the audience made up largely of volunteers, to not reveal the secrets of the show. The 2012 Summer Olympics kicks off in London on Friday.

Olympic Torch passes through Deptford

I woke up bright and early this morning to go see the Olympic Torch, which passed by close to where I live in London. My flatmate, Dave, accompanied me to Deptford High Street. We probably had way too much fun at the time. Also, seriously craving some Coca-cola right now.