Nudism Activists Arrested In SF

Four activists were arrested in San Francisco after they disrobed in public to protest the public nudity ban which went into effect on Friday.

Nude activists Gypsy Taub, George Davis, Trey Allen and Dany DeVero were detained and cited by police after they stripped down in front of City Hall on a mild and sunny afternoon. A handful of other nudity proponents, some topless, carried signs and hurled insults at the dozen police officers who led the full-frontal offenders away. "Freedom of expression is dead in this country," Davis shouted as he was taken into a police van.

The nudity ban went into effect Friday. On Tuesday, a federal judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by nudity activists who said outlawing public genital exposure violated their First Amendment rights. Police gave the protesters a 15-minute warning to get dressed or receive a citation that comes with a $100 fine for a first offense. San Francisco Police Chief Greg Suhr said officers were not given any special instructions related to the new law. "We have no choice but to enforce the law," he said.

Opponents of the ban lost their first court battle last week but have vowed to appeal their case to the Ninth Circuit Court.