2007.05.29 The Guardian
It was to have been an unlikely spectacle: Hundreds of naked cyclists versus lines of handcuff-wielding police officers. But the much-anticipated confrontation between Brighton's contingent of the World Naked Bike Ride and the local constabulary appears to have been averted.
After warning that cyclists might face arrest and £160 fines, the police seem to have given way to the nudists, part of a global ride on June 8 and 9 to raise awareness about climate change, oil dependency, road safety and the human body. Chief Supt Paul Pearce had warned the cyclists: "It is very likely we will receive numerous complaints from people feeling harassed, alarmed or distressed at the sight of naked adults in public."
With advice from the civil liberties group Liberty, cyclists entered discussions with Brighton police last week and resolved the impasse. Mr Pearce said: "If it goes on under a police officer's nose, they've got the discretion to decide how to deal with it." The crux of the matter would be whether the public are harassed, alarmed or distressed.
