Photo: TacomaRockCity
Turns out, there’s more to the story of the naked bike riders cruising Broadway we mentioned Friday night: “… the most exciting thing might have been the nine or ten nude bicyclists reported cruising down Broadway passed Dick’s, of course.”
Seattle Times has talked with one of the riders. And, even though nobody was arrested, he’s pissed:
Johnson argues Friday night’s stoppage violated the riders’ First Amendment rights.
“This is the first time I’m aware of where SPD has stopped naked cyclists in Seattle without evidence of even one citizen complaint,” said Johnson.
Three bicyclists were arrested for indecent exposure in July 2007 at Seward Park, after police received five calls from neighbors.
Daniel Johnson who spoke with the Times is an organizer of the World Naked Bike Ride events in Seattle. The group described Friday’s ride on its Web site:
The route will be short, focusing on the Downtown area and will cover the neighborhoods of Belltown, Pioneer Square and possibly the Waterfront and Capitol Hill. Razzle Dazzle: Be Safe + Be Visible with your DIY mutant costumes, musical instruments, noisemakers, kustom bikes + psychedelic lights. Be Creative!
The incident began around 11:16 PM when, according to East Precinct radio transmissions, the a police officer on duty on the Hill reported seeing the naked bicyclists near Broadway and Denny as they rode north with a police cruiser following behind. According to the radio reports, the lone SPD cruiser was able to get the group of bikers to pull over on Broadway near Harrison. Seven minutes later, the office reported, “They’re dressed and moving on.”
Unrelated, except for those who enjoy irony and or coincidences, about an hour later, a car was reported stolen from the same block of Broadway where the naked riders got a stern talking to.
My observation:
About 8 guys, one kid (clothed), and one girl with very nice, flowing, natural breasts. They stuck around Broadway Grill after they were stopped, and the girl remained topless for awhile. My girlfriend dragged me away before I could grab any good pics. Email me if you got some.
Thxbye
I know I’m going to sound prudish and like a curmudgeon, but when the nakey cyclists chose to ride past the Volunteer Park playground and wading pool in the middle of the day on Saturday July 10th I was less than thrilled. We were having my daughter’s fourth birthday there and honestly it probably would have been fine since most of the cyclists stuck to the path and the kids were distracted playing in the water etc; but then some guy decided to break off from the crowd, leave the path and slooooowwwwwly cruise past right on the edge of the wading pool. He was kinda sitting back so “everyone” could see his rather sad wang. WTF? It was a bit….disturbing. If they want to make some sort of statement by being naked ok; although I doubt anyone who sees them is going to say, “OO that makes me want to stop driving my car”; but it would be great if they could stick to places that weren’t fuuuull of children. Because that just makes it creepy. Anyway maybe I’m just getting old, but I’m actually glad they got busted. Or maybe my tolerance for the whole hippy, saggy, nakey thing is waning..
I don’t think you sound prudish at all.
There is a time and place for most things and this is neither. The way you described this guy, he sounds more like a sexual predator than someone just having a nice nude ride.