'Boobs on Bikes' to disregard new bylaw

Porn king Steve Crow is heading for a showdown with Auckland City Council after being refused a permit to stage his "Boobs on Bikes" parade.

After a barrage of complaints about the controversial parade, which involved topless women travelling down Queen St on motorcycles, the council passed a bylaw last month giving it the power to turn down permits for events deemed "likely to be offensive".

However, as the next council meeting was not due till after the parade, which was planned for next Wednesday, councillors voted by phone to reject the permit.

Mayor John Banks, who said he had received almost 1000 e-mails opposing the parade and only one in support, said calling a special council meeting to discuss the application would have been a waste of ratepayer cash.

Mr Crow vowed to defy the authorities and go ahead with the parade, which would promote his Erotica Lifestyles Expo this month. "There's absolutely no change to what we're planning to do."

He had never sought council approval for the parade - only its help with issues like traffic.

He disputed Mr Banks' claims about the e-mail responses. "I'd like to see those e-mails.

"I've got a hundred thousand people watching it. If he's got 1000 people who don't want it, don't like it, then that's fine - don't go."

Councillor Cathy Casey - who had threatened to lie down in the path of the parade to stop it - said she would be asking the council's city development committee today to seek a court injunction to ensure there was no parade.

"He's already boasting that he's going to ignore the council. If he goes ahead, he will be in contempt of court."

If police did not intervene on the day, she and a group of like-minded women would take action, she said.

Mr Crow said he doubted they could get a court injunction - but he would fight it. If the women lay down on the road, he hoped police would arrest them for disrupting traffic. "The only things that can stop it are rain ... or if I get arrested."

- © Fairfax NZ News