Crow defends Boobs parade

JOHN SELKIRK/The Dominion Post

SHOW TO GO ON: Pornographer Steve Crow is holding his Erotica Expo and Boobs on Bike parade in Palmerston North over Anzac Weekend.

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Bare-breasted women will cruise the streets of Palmerston North, Levin and Whanganui next month if plans to expand the controversial Boobs on Bikes parade go ahead.

Pornographer Steve Crow is holding his Erotica Expo and Boobs on Bike parade in Palmerston North over Anzac Weekend, despite complaints from people opposed to sharing the time of remembrance with porn stars, sex toys and naked bikers.

Boobs on Bikes, in which scantily-clad men and women drive in a motorcycle convoy, was only to be held in Palmerston North on April 23.

But Mr Crow has other plans.

"We are going to try something that we've never done," he said.

Parades will be held on Levin's Oxford St and Whanganui's London St and Victoria Ave before heading to The Square in Palmerston North.

Apart from calling Whanganui mayor Michael Laws, Mr Crow said he would not be contacting local authorities.

"We just do it. If you ask people for permission you just get bogged down and it all gets too difficult," Mr Crow said. "It's a freedom-of-expression type of thing."

Anyone over the age of 18 was eligible to enter but Mr Crow said he preferred riders to complete application forms.

"We've had people just turn up to try and disrupt it and if they cause a traffic problem it comes back on us."

Riders were also expected to comply with rules such as not "jiggling" their breasts or licking their nipples while in the parade, he said.

The Manawatu Standard has received correspondence from residents unhappy with the expo being held over Anzac Weekend but Mr Crow said it was a matter of necessity, rather than choice.

"The Palmerston North Convention Centre was not available at any other time. That was the only weekend we could get it."

Mr Crow said that there was no cynical reason behind holding it on Anzac Day – a reference to his recent wrangle with the New Plymouth and Districts RSA.

"I would never in a million years disrespect Anzac Day because [it] was the biggest day of the year for my father. My brother and I will be driving from Palmerston North on Sunday morning to be at the Anzac Day celebrations in New Plymouth."

He said most people had no problem with the expo, citing the 13,000 people who attended the Palmerston North shows in 2005 and 2007.

"You've got a very vocal minority who get up in arms about anything," Mr Crow said.

"These are the same people who were outraged when bikinis were invented."

WHAT THE MAYORS SAID

We asked the mayors about what they thought of the three intended Boobs on Bikes parade locations:

Palmerston North Mayor Jono Naylor: "We know that he's been planning on coming to Palmerston North and the law says he's allowed to, so no doubt if he decides to come then it will happen. Even if council had an objection there will be nothing we can do about it."

Horowhenua Mayor Brendan Duffy: "He has a style of his own, so long as he is not compromising the mood of our community, I suppose that's the sort of thing that happens these days. Let's hope it's a chilly day and he might choose to take that event somewhere else."

Wanganui district Mayor Michael Laws: "Steve Crow has informed me of his intentions, it's a free country and there won't be a formal objection from the Wanganui District Council."

HAVE YOUR SAY

How do you feel about Boobs on Bikes coming to your town?

Write to the editor at PO Box 3, Palmerston North, or email editor@msl.co.nz (include names and addresses), or text to 0274981242.

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