Boobs on bikes: Protesters clash with cops

Police formed a human chain to hold back protesters and one group almost got away with stopping the Tauranga leg of porn merchant Steve Crow's boobs on bikes tour when it came to town yesterday.
Police foiled a carefully planned operation to stop the Boobs on Bikes parade from going up Devonport Rd - but only just.
A group of five protesters were at the point of snapping a padlock shut to chain off The Strand beside Starbucks when police bustled them off the road.
The leader of the group, who would not reveal his name, told the Bay of Plenty Times that it was a "real shame" they failed.
They would have padlocked themselves to the chain in the order of letters on the backs of their boiler suits to spell out "no way".
"Unfortunately the police were too quick for us."
The plan relied on police being drawn away from the roundabout end of The Strand by a diversion at a nearby pedestrian crossing where another group of protesters were stepping out in front of the approaching parade.
The hitch in the plan was the length of time it took to get the chain out of a chilly bin.
By the time the chain was out, and the protester  had rushed across the road to connect the padlock with the other end of the chain beside Starbucks, police on the Devonport Rd side of the roundabout had seen what was happening. "The police bolted down and stopped me from clicking the padlock shut. We were then herded back to the kerb.
"We had run through the plan and practised it - the whole nine yards - but they were too quick.
"He came into our town, pushing his barrow and turning Tauranga people against each other. We all have different stands on morals. I found it really offensive."
Police continued to clash with protesters as they tried to stop traffic by crossing The Strand.
Thousands packed the CBD's main streets for a glimpse of the topless woman and Mr Crow was delighted with the support, both from the public and from the 20 local women wanting to be part of the parade - and he would be back the same time next year. "I don't know 85 per cent of the girls here," he said outside Memorial Park, where the 15-minute parade ended. "They just turned up and wanted to do it and have some fun."
The locals who had helmets were allowed to jump on the back of one of the 21 motorbikes, while the others sat in the back of a convertible limousine.  
"Everything is depressing nowadays - the economy is sick, there's plenty of crime and child abuse around,"  Mr Crow said. "Here's a nice sunny day and the girls wanted to get their tops off. What's the big deal?" The parade was to  promote the Erotica Lifestyles Expo in Auckland at the weekend. The parade featured adult entertainers Michelle "Bombshell" McGee and Ron Jeremy.
Before the parade started on The Strand, Mr Crow warned participants to strictly observe the road rules.
One of the local women, Jemimah Perry, 22, sat and waved in the back of the limousine. "This is my hometown, it's something new and I wanted to support the idea," she said.

Jemimah, who will soon be doing a pharmacy technician's course at the Bay of Plenty Polytechnic, said she could not understand why people were kicking up a storm.
"I guess Tauranga is a bit funny about something that is new.
"It was only partial nudity, and if parents didn't want their kids to be there, then they shouldn't take them - they only had to avoid the city centre for a few minutes."
Police said that overall onlookers were  well behaved. A group of Tauranga Christians from the C-3 church took a somewhat different approach to the parade, handing the topless women a flower and a pamphlet titled "Father's Love Letter".
Their spokeswoman, Lynne, said they did not want to condemn the girls because they were people that God loved.
"Everyone is a sinner until they meet Jesus."
Mary-Pat Kengmana, who walked in front of the parade on The Strand, had insults thrown at her from the crowd.
She later took up a lonely vigil with her placard on Elizabeth St - where the Bay of Plenty Times caught up with her after the parade had finished.
Ms Kengmana said: "It was an ugly environment in the sense of the abuse that was being said."