Posted by Fingers on November 07, 2005 at 02:04:44:
A group from Mendocino County called "Breasts not Bombs" has planned to demonstrate topless at high noon on Monday, the day before a controversial state special election. The group is protesting everything from the war to Governor Schwarzenegger's special election, which takes place this Tuesday.
The group has demonstrated topless in Mendocino County, at the offices of The Santa Rosa Press Democrat newspaper, in San Francisco's Union Square (which would not be an unusual occourance) at at a Washington, D.C. rally - all without incident. In California's more conservative central valley they may be arrested. The group filed for and received a demonstration permit from The California Highway Patrol (California's State Police who have jurisdiction on State Capital Grounds). When they were warned by CHP Commissioner Mike Brown (no, not THAT Mike Brown) that they would be arrested if there was any nudity, the organizers took the CHP to court this past Friday - and lost.
They have been warned that if arrested they may have to file as sex offenders, although that seems unlikely since that would only take place if the group was found guilty of committing a lewd act, and even the presiding judge at the hearing stated that "nudity for the sake of making a political statement might not fall into that category."
Nudity in protests is not unheard of in Sacramento. Two weeks ago PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) staged a body painted and pantyhose protest in front of a downtown retailer only blocks from the State Capitol.
At this point in time (Sunday evening) it is clear that the protest will go forward. What is not clear is if the group will protest topless.
Fingers
Relavant sources:
The groups Craig's List announcement:
http://www.craigslist.org/eve/106813903.html
Sacramento Bee article:
http://www.sacbee.com/content/news/story/13811955p-14653030c.html
LA Times article: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-topless5nov05,0,5014123.story?coll=la-home-headlines