A strip show is planned for outside the downtown Gap store at noon today where some plan to bare it all in protest of the company. A number of activists — most of whom are engaging in anti-G-8 protests this week — are taking part in a “We’d Rather Go Bare than Wear Gap” campaign at 317 7 Ave. S.W., outside of TD Square.
Songs, chants and speakers will “build up to the climactic moment where we strip for the redwoods and workers rights,” reads a call-to-action on the gapsucks.org website.
Some may choose to peel down only to their undies, which Calgary Police Insp. Murray Stooke points out isn’t a criminal offence.
He said police are expected to attend the demonstration and won’t necessarily arrest those who decide to strip naked — which is considered indecent under the Criminal Code.
“It will be up to the officer in charge of that particular protest to make the call on what steps we take,” Stooke said.
“Our approach will be balanced and dependent on the circumstances — we have no predetermined response.”
The anti-Gap movement is critical of Gap founders Donald and Doris Fisher and their family, who profit from logging redwood trees.
In 1998, the Fishers bought over 900-sq.-km. of redwood forest in northern California, but they defend their business, saying it is an example of how trees can be cut down profitably in a way that minimizes the impact on forests.
Activists also boycott Gap stores over claims of poor pay and working conditions of those in Third World countries who make Gap clothing.
FAIR USE NOTICE: This page contains copyrighted material the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. NoNonsense English offers this material non-commercially for research and educational purposes. I believe this constitutes a fair use of any such copyrighted material as provided for in 17 U.S.C § 107. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond fair use, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner, i.e. the media service or newspaper which first published the article online and which is indicated at the top of the article unless otherwise specified.