Zoe West, the nude model who was arrested in Times Square while an artist painted her bare body is claiming her civil rights were violated and is planning to sue the NYPD over the incident.
West's lawyer Ron Kuby detailed the imminent lawsuit to the The New York Post, "It is not illegal to be naked in New York as long as you are doing it for the purpose of a play, exhibition, performance or show" and jested West was never truly in the nude because of the coat of paint she was covered in.
Back in August, the model shocked the afternoon theatre crowd, as Times Square pedestrians stopped dead in their tracks once they caught a glimpse of artist Andy Golub using West's naked body as a canvass in the middle of the highly-trafficked area.
An hour later police officials hauled her into a midtown precinct for the eye-catching stunt. No charges were filed and West was released after two hours, but West's lawyer insists she has every right to sue because "we had made arrangements to ensure that Ms. West would not be arrested, but apparently, one of the cops didn’t get the memo or didn’t care."
While it's perfectly legal to roam topless in New York, the NYPD are not going to be so kind if a woman's g-string gets removed.
As for Golub, he tells The Post while he didn't enjoy watching West get arrested, he doesn't regret the incident, adding his art is "very dynamic" and "fun to watch."
Watch New Yorkers weigh in on the incident in August: