WATCH ABOVE: The organizers say a police officer stopped them while riding bikes and told them it was illegal, though that’s not the case. Women have had the right to go topless in public since 1996 in Ontario.
TORONTO — Three Ontario sisters who were told to cover up last week by a Kitchener police officer as they rode their bikes topless staged a protest Saturday.
A large group gathered to support the Waterloo, Ont., women as they spoke out against harassment and gender inequality.
“Bare With Us: Top Freedom Rally” was the theme, and many did just that. Both men and women attended the rally in various stages of undress. Some went topless, or in a bra or crop top, and some fully clothed.
READ MORE: Three Ontario sisters say they were stopped by police for biking topless
Women in Ontario have had the legal right to go topless since 1996.
“Despite this right, women are still not truly free to be topless in public, without facing harassment from passersby and in some cases, uninformed police officers,” says the event page for the rally on Facebook.
“They’re boobs not Bombs! Chill out,” read one sign at the protest. “End body policing,” said another.
READ MORE: Bra protest in Hong Kong after woman jailed for ‘breast assault’ of police officer
“Don’t shame me,” was written along one topless protesters chest. “My body my right,” on another’s.
Police on hand told Global News it was a peaceful protest.
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