People without clothes always draw a crowd, but organizers of the World Naked Bike Ride in Ottawa believe the recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico will bring even more people to Saturday’s event.
“People are really concerned,” said organizer and Ottawa ride founder Jenn Farr. “People are paying attention and realizing that it’s going to affect everybody. “This is just the latest example of how oil dependency ravages our planet.”
Farr expects more than 150 people to gather at Confederation Park Saturday afternoon, where they’ll strip down to their skivvies, and in many cases, their birthday suits. Then at 3 p.m., they’ll bike, rollerblade and skateboard around the city to protest oil dependency.
The nudity symbolizes the vulnerability of cyclists on the road, said Farr.
The ride will pass major landmarks including the ByWard Market, the Supreme Court of Canada and Parliament Hill. Everyone is welcome to participate with the “level of nudity they’re comfortable with,” Farr said.
“We’ve gotten gawkers,” said Farr, “and you never know who’s taking photos and where they’re going to end up, so if you’re not comfortable, don’t go naked. Wear a wig, but just don’t come in your street clothes. This is a party.”
