Make Love Not Oil
Safety for Cyclists
A Tourist Attraction
The Start of the Ride
Moving Off
No Fumes Here
Cycling along Piccadilly
We were missing the football
York Road Peleton
Naked protest has a long history (dating back in modern times at least to 1903), and Saturday's ride certainly caught the attention of the crowds in central London. Many were obviously astounded, finding it hard to beleive the evidence of their eyes, but all I saw were amused and none seemed offended by the event. A leaflet handed out during the ride advised "If you don't wish to see nudity, please avert your gaze - we'll soon be out of sight" but I didn't see anyone following this simple advice. Indeed it looked as if London should be promoting the event to attract yet more tourists.
But it was a serious protest, aimed at bringing environmental issues to public notice and getting people to take some notice. And unlike many demos, this one certainly gained a lot of attention from the thousands in the streets.
The pictures I've uploaded with this are I hope carefully selected so as not to cause offence even to your primmest aunt (or uncle or ISP.) My religious upbringing taught me that we were created in the image of our maker, and thus it was blasphemous to object to the display of the naked body, even if often prudent to keep it covered. Of course not everyone rode entirely naked, as those taking part were invited to ride "as bare as you dare!"
As a photographer, I was pleased that I knew and had previously photographed many of those taking part in other demonstrations, and it was good to be greeted when photographing them. Many other riders also made it clear that they wanted to be photographed, and I tried hard to do a good job of it. Only one person out of the several hundred made it clear she did not wish me to take a picture, and of course I didn't.
It was certainly an afternoon when it was more comfortable to be without clothes than in them (so long as you had plenty of sun-screen.) But I had chosen not to ride a bike, and just pretended to be one as I ran up Piccadilly with the mass of cyclists. By the time I got to the top of Haymarket I was pretty much whacked. So I took the tube to Waterloo to meet the ride as it came up York Road and get a different viewpoint.
I'd think I was being very rude (and lying) if I didn't say that many of those taking part I found visually attractive. With or without clothes, old and young, male and female. But I wouldn't take photographs of anything if I didn't generally find people attractive.
I will put a few more images on My London Diary shortly, along with a message so that those who took part and I photographed can get copies of their pictures.
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Comments
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Get a life!
12.06.2006 17:47
Load of bollocks, literally! What a bunch of exhibitionists. Bet theyre all middle class. What about peoples cultural sensivities? Not everyboby approves of such things you know. Would you do this on an anti war demo where they may be some Muslims who for example may be hostile to this? You think youre better dont you? Guess its good old fashioned colonial attitudes isnt it? Everyone elses culture is backwards apart from yours. White middle class arrogance, thats what it is.
Old fashioned socialist
Time to change?
12.06.2006 19:01
Of course many of the old socialists would have approved of Saturday's event. George Bernard Shaw would certainly have been out there on his bike, and William Morris would have been dancing along behind him.
The real question is perhaps how we can change peoples's attitudes, and to start you need to get their attention and then there is a chance they will think. I'd like to see more of an obvious political message in events such as this - too much was implicit, and there was certainly room for more political placards and banners. So next year, why don't you get your togs off, get on your bike and do the circuit with your impeccably working class socialist message painted across your torso. It will at least be seen and read by many thousands more people than the average demo reaches.
And did I see you on the demo at Wapping the following morning? Or at New Scotland Yard the following afternoon?
Regards,
Peter
Peter Marshall
e-mail:
petermarshall@cix.co.uk
Homepage:
http://mylondondiary.co.uk
Why so hostile?
12.06.2006 19:35
'You think youre better dont you? Guess its good old fashioned colonial attitudes isnt it? Everyone elses culture is backwards apart from yours. White middle class arrogance, thats what it is.'
How did you come to such a negative assesment of the people on bike ride from looking at a few pictures?
grammatoncleric
Homepage:
http://www.antiwar.com
What a load of socialism!!
12.06.2006 20:12
It is so easy to offend other cultures wether intentionally or otherwise. Did you consider that anarchists on an anti-war demo may be offended by the precesnce of people openley promoting religion (im not saying thats the case, but just an example). There are many different cultures and belief systems on this planet, and we'd all be alot happier if we learned to co-exist and learn to respect eachothers choices and beliefs. If you choose to believe something, thats fine, but you can't be angry at someone for not subscribing to your beliefs, or doing something to unintentionally offend you, as there will always be people who offend you and people who are offended by you.
we should promote tolerance of our differences not a grey world where everyone acts thinks and believes the same things for fear of offending eachother.
yours in Peace, anarchy and occasional nudity
(A) Sab
bollox
12.06.2006 20:32
Dan