"I'm glad to see people are exercising their freedom of expression," Erotica Expo organizer Steve Crow said. "I told the girls beforehand to keep the jiggling to a minimum and not to do anything that would be deemed offensive."
The parade went forward after a New Zealand judge ruled that although some may find it offensive, the sizable turnout indicated that there was public interest in the parade.
"It is not offensive per se for women to be topless. It may be distasteful to some, but in my view the council reference to offensive cannot reasonably apply in these circumstances," Judge Nicola Mathers said.
The crowd was six deep on some sidewalks, with construction workers watching from building sites and office workers leaning out of windows.
A Canadian tourist told a reporter that she was taking photos to show back home because "no one would believe me."
A group of 50 antiporn protesters marched in front of the parade, then took sidewalk space at the end of the parade route to continue their protest.
“It’s nice to see a few protesters exercising their right to free speech,” Crow said.
The parade was completed without incident, although Crow claimed that a porn performer who had come in from another country was assaulted by an onlooker.
"He actually came up to the car that I was in and was complaining and was saying how disgusting it was," Crow said. "Then he goes and reaches to grab one of the girls and when she pushes him away, he punches her in the face."
Crow said a police complaint would be filed.
