Protest naked humiliation by wearing HOODS (and little else?)

If you're thinking of being nude during your protest at SF's
Bay 2 Breakers on May 16 (Sunday),
please be aware of SFPD policy, as below:



.......
SF Police Department reveals revised policy

on nudity at Bay 2 Breakers,

for May 2004

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[ Notes by SUN:

Legally, SF has a city ordinance prohibiting nudity and bare female breasts in SF city parks; but SF has no such ordinance applying to city streets (outside the parks).
Thus, technically and legally, nude political protests are lawful on Market Street. And such protests would violate the city ordinance if held inside Golden Gate Park (including the Panhandle portion of GG Park).
But that's theory. And, in practice, SF police policy carries much more weight than law. With regard to nudity, SFPD follows different policies at different events.
Therefor, as of May 2004, SUN urges nudes to get dressed right after they cross the finish line, in order to avoid upsetting the police. This means that you should carry clothes with you, preferably in your backpack or fannypack.
However, for nudes who are merely walking to enjoy the hike, rather than to set a recorded time, why bother to go all the way to the finish line? Along the route, there are several bands providing live music; where one might prefer to dance (unless police order you to move on, or to cover up, or both).
[Note: When we say "nudes", we mean people who are fully nude. What about women who are merely top-free? We don't know what policy the SFPD will follow. Remember that the SF park "nudity" ordinance unfairly prohibits the bare female breast, but allows the bare male breast.]

If a police officer orders you to cover up, OBEY the order.

*** Never argue with any cop, even after you get dressed. Arguing with a cop is both useless and dangerous. Cops rarely deviate from the official line, because they must follow whatever orders their superiors have given them, regardless of their own personal opinions. And your arguing can provoke arrest, rather just a "ticket" (citation); because most cops feel insulted if you fail to "respect" their authority. Worse yet, if you alarm, frighten, startle, or severely anger cops, you may be headed to a hospital, or even to the morgue. Only a self-destructive person would challenge a rhinoceros, or debate with anyone who is carrying a loaded gun. ***

Instead, as soon as the cop leaves, write down exactly what happened (in chronological order), the time of each event, who said what to whom, etc. Write objectively, factually, accurately, and non-emotionally. This may be easier if you write in the third person. Then sign and date your note, including the time you finish writing. Preface the note with "To whom it may concern". Later on, make photocopies of the original; but don't ever change the original. Don't fret about spelling, style, or neatness; what counts is accuracy. If you later note factual mistakes, or remember additional facts, you can note these on one of the photocopies, but NOT on the original.
Save this original document to use later as evidence, in any administrative, judicial, or other process.

Using these facts, which were written down when your memory was freshest, you can write letters to the SF City Attorney (the legal expert on SF city ordinances), or to the SF District Attorney (the legal expert on California state laws); to the SF Board of Supervisors (collectively); to the SF police commission; to newspapers and websites, etc. If you are a resident of SF, you can also write to the individual Supervisor who represents your district.

Before you write these letters, you may with to consult with a nudist or naturist group, such as BAN or SUN, and/or the ACLU, etc.

-- SUN
http://pages.prodigy.net/seniornude
May 2004
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SAN FRANCISCO:


Race's naked joggers to be tolerated, barely:
They must dress at finish line or get ticketed

Steve Rubenstein,
Chronicle Staff Writer
Saturday, May 15, 2004


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Running naked through the streets of San Francisco will be OK and not OK, according to the people in charge of the Bay to Breakers race.

You're not supposed to do it, said race organizers, wink-winking and nudge-nudging. But if you decide to do it on Sunday morning, there's not much anybody can do to stop you.

Every year, more and more people run the 7.5-mile race without clothes. Last year, there were more than 200 nude runners. Now, they even have their own Web site, logo, caps and souvenir pins.

This year, police say they will cite naked runners who do not clothe themselves once they cross the finish line at the west end of Golden Gate Park, but will not try to stop naked runners during the race.

Angela Fang, head of the foundation that organizes the race, says she was told by police that it is "not physically possible'' to cite nudists in motion.

"There's no way for police to run into the race and yank out the naked runners,'' she said Friday.

Race organizers were clearly of two minds about the whole thing. They want as many runners as they can get, at $40 a head. They do not want to offend paying customers, and they do not want to offend nervous Nellies, either.

Typically, naked runners carry clothes in a fanny pack or hide clothes in Golden Gate Park, and clothe themselves immediately after crossing the finish line.

"It's a family event, and we know people bring their children,'' Fang said. "But the Bay to Breakers means so much to so many people, and this is San Francisco. We don't want to change anything. We're torn.''

Some of the naked runners compete as members of Bare to Breakers. On their Web site (baretobreakers.com), they call themselves "outrageous and courageous'' and have their own souvenir pin, even though attaching the pin on race day could prove challenging.


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