Halloween Meets “Mad Max” at Bike Kills

The best party of the year almost didn’t happen. Bike Kill, the Black Label Bike Club’s annual debauch that’s sort of like Halloween meets Mad Max, but with more mutant bikes and random explosions, started as planned on Saturday in an industrial lot in Bushwick.

But just ninety minutes into the day-into-night festivities, the NYPD rolled up in force and abruptly shut the whole thing down, citing lack of permits, potential alcohol consumption, and fears of the neighborhood being “overrun.” Even though the party was on private property. And had been held in this exact space two years ago without incident.

But Bike Kill refused to die! After milling around the area en masse, Black Label Bike Club set up their jousting arena in the dead end behind the Home Depot in Bed-Stuy, site of the first ten Bike Kills, and much mayhem ensued. And despite frequent fireworks and much general mayhem, it took the NYPD more than two hours to show up at this second location, sending everyone off into the night. As is the custom, Black Label Bike Club cleaned up the site before leaving.