SAN FRANCISCO (CN) - A federal judge has been asked to certify a class action against officials for the city-county of San Francisco who want to ban nudity in public spaces.
The new ordinance, proposed by supervisor Scott Wiener, would require clothing on public transit, sidewalks and city streets, plazas and parklets.
A vote on the ordinance before the full board is scheduled for Nov. 20.
Mitch Hightower, Oxane "Gypsy" Taub, George Davis and Russell Mills had sued San Francisco, Wiener and two other supervisors - David Chiu and Angela Calvillo - to block the vote.
But the nudists say lawyers for the city assured them that Weiner plans to amend the language providing that the operative date of the ordinance would be Feb. 1, 2013.
They agreed Monday to abandon demands for a temporary restraining order in exchange for delayed implementation of the ban if it passes.
The nudists claim that the ban would chill their First Amendment rights to free speech. The lead plaintiffs boast of using their naked bodies for political expression. They moved to certify their class on Saturday.
The first hearing is set for Jan. 17.
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