VENICE : Appeals Court Upholds Nude Sunbathing Ban
A federal appeals court upheld a ban on nude sunbathing along Venice Beach Monday, ruling that the city of Los Angeles was well within its rights in outlawing the practice.
On a 3-0 vote, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco ruled that the ordinance “is constitutionally sound despite ‘incidental limitations’ on the plaintiffs’ rights to free expression and association.”
The ordinance was attacked in 1990 by a group called Beachfront USA Inc. Several members, who were arrested or faced arrest for nudity on Venice Beach, said enforcement of the law prevented them not only from bathing in the nude, but from gathering to express nudist philosophy.
The judicial panel said that the issue was settled by the U.S. Supreme Court last year when it upheld an Indiana anti-nudity law, which had been challenged by a dance club.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
