Clem's Corner: Marble Ledges and Plastic Pegs

Originally posted on Street League, May 23, 2013.

I was accidentally in the middle of a little bit of trouble in Barcelona. While rolling around MACBA with Jesus Fernandez and Daniel Lebron, some BMXers from out of town showed up and wanted to ride the ledges. I'm assuming they were in Spain for the same reason we were: Street League and X Games. A local skater stepped up and told the bikers they weren't welcome to ride.

Obviously that set things off in a rather uncomfortable manner. We were there filming, so I said to our video guy, Jared, “See this going down? Maybe you should capture it.”

The camera was recording and the BMXers were pleading. They explained that they had plastic pegs, only wanted to film one trick, and so on, but it was all in vain. Local homie just told them straight up “No,” and literally lay down on the portion of the ledge that they wanted to ride.

I just sat there and watched it unfold, without saying a word. It's not my spot—I was a guest. It got slightly heated for a second, less-than-friendly words were exchanged, and the BMXers were ultimately asked to leave by the museum's security.

We included this in our edit that posted on Ride Channel a couple days later and the anti-skateboarder comments promptly rolled in. It got to where Daniel was even being contacted by local BMXers. Due to the “getting blown out of proportion factor,” we actually edited out most of the interaction.

Then finally a random BMXer found me on Instagram and started an Insta-beef with me. I mean, come on, I'm nearly 40-years-old and I'm in an Insta-battle? He threatened me, so I replied, “Well, I'm down here at X Games watching the BMXers riding the Street League course right now if you want to come find me.” That's when he tells me he's in Canada. Ah, social media, so full of empty threats.

For once and for all, here's my official stance on BMX: Please don't f#&k up the marble ledges and cement coping. Otherwise, it's tight.