Go Skateboarding Day
Go Skateboarding Day (GSD) is an official annual holiday conceived by the International Association of Skateboard Companies (IASC) to promote skateboarding. It is usually marked on June 21.[1]
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[edit] History
The name for the holiday possibly originated from the "No Skateboarding" signs which often has been changed to "Go Skateboarding." by local skaters. The holiday was conceived by the International Association of Skateboard Companies (IASC) to help make skateboarding more accessible to the world through various events held in major cities around the world. Beginning with the first celebration in 2004, GSD has since received Special Congressional Recognition from the US Congress for promoting the sport of skateboarding. This holiday is celebrated by millions of skaters around the world. [2][3]5boro Skateboards founder/owner, Steve Rodriguez, runs the New York City chapter of Go Skateboarding Day, and with thousands of participants in tow each year, GSD NYC is considered one of the largest single gatherings of skateboarders in the world and is now considered an official holiday.
[edit] 2007 YouTube arrest incident
Some skaters celebrating Go Skateboarding Day have unfortunately had conflicts with the law in the past. One of the more notable incidents involved skaters Matt McCormack, Skylar Nalls, Robbie Brindley, Casey Canterbury and several other friends in Hot Springs, Arkansas where breaking the law got them in trouble with police. Baird and the involved skaters contend that the police used excessive force when they arrested them while the police maintain that the officer was enforcing a city ordinance. [4] The incident made headlines when a Youtube video of the arrest was uploaded drawing over three million views and intense internet debate over the incident. [5] There is some question about who was at fault, but many say that the Youtube video had been edited to portray the skateboarders as the victims. All of the skaters were found guilty.
[edit] References
- ^ "Go Skate Day postponed until June 27th.". http://www.officialnewyork.com/v1.1/forum/YaBB.cgi?num=1244842054.
- ^ "Congress officially proclaims June 21 Go Skateboarding Day.". Active.com, ESPN partner. http://www.active.com/story.cfm?CHECKSSO=1&SIDEBAR=728&RESET=0&STORY_ID=14226. Retrieved 2007-12-05.
- ^ "Skate Jam attracts laid-back crowd". Columbia Missourian. http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/2005/12/19/skate-jam-attracts-laid-back-crowd/. Retrieved 2007-06-05.[dead link]
- ^ "Cops vs. Skaters: Video of Skater Arrest Leads to Investigation". ABC News. http://www.abcnews.go.com/TheLaw/story?id=3327172&page=1. Retrieved 2008-01-19.
- ^ "YouTube: Video of Arrest - go skateboarding day:cops vs. skaters". YouTube user:toymachine16. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EH6AYVn2yw4#Skateboarding%20Youtube%20video. Retrieved 2008-01-19.
