Hundreds of nude cyclists hit Bristol's streets as World Naked Bike Ride returns

The World Naked Bike Ride has returned to Bristol, leaving locals divided in their opinions regarding the controversial event.

Hundreds of naked cyclists took the streets of Bristol on Monday as they paddled through the city centre. As in the previous years, the bare riders departed from the Full Moon and Attic Bar on Stokes Croft at 12.30 pm, from where they headed down the A38 towards Cabot Circus. Their journey ended in the harbour opposite the SS Great Britain, before returning to the pub where they started.

Plans for a naked dance near bandstand

The said route, which spans around six and a half miles, is fairly flat and may hardly cause any disruption on main roads while bikers are there. Reportedly, there are also plans for a naked dance break in Castle Park, near the bandstand.

"We're celebrating cycling, the human body, and diversity - and the start of Summer. The ride demonstrates the vulnerability of cyclists on the road and is a protest against oil dependency. We are not stopping traffic: We are traffic!" read a statement from the group that participated in the event on Monday, according to Bristol Live.

In addition, the funds they receive through the campaign will go to the cost of insuring rides across the UK, and provide local organisers with money for poster/flyer printing, advertising, and ride equipment.

The event does not ask a cyclist to be fully naked as the theme is "as bare as you dare." However, no participant will be stopped if they wanted to strip off completely, like so many of them did on Monday in Bristol.

Locals left furious watching naked cyclists

Watching so many naked cyclists on the streets of Bristol left several locals furious, with some criticizing the event on social media and asking officials to end the "disgusting" event.

"The more I'm exposed to this stuff the more it confirms my beliefs... that we the human race are descending backward and at a speedy rate as well," an angry local wrote on a social media platform, according to the same Bristol Live report.

"Disgusting. There are children walking around the city," a third wrote: "Any other day and you'll get arrested. Do we really need this?" another local wrote.

The World Naked Bike Ride has taken place every year since 2004, with the exception of 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. The event's organisers have called it as the "largest naked protest in the world."

It was initially started to campaign for environmental sustainability and improved safety for cyclists in busy cities across the globe. But over the years, the World Naked Bike Ride has been used to promote a series of causes, including body positivity, inclusivity, and personal freedom.

People choose to go bare and cycle to celebrate the event in more than 200 cities around the world, including London, Buenos Aires, Melbourne, Vienna, Sao Paulo, Vancouver, Copenhagen, Paris, Thessaloniki, Tel Aviv and Tokyo.

"Well over 150 World Naked Bike Ride events have been staged in the UK, since the first ride in 2004 attracted 58 participants. Over those years, we reckon over 30,000 participants have protested oil dependency and car culture, and celebrated bikes and bodies.

"A peaceful, imaginative and fun protest against oil dependency and car culture," the event's organisers earlier said in a statement.

The organisers also ensured that the cyclists always let emergency vehicles through them whenever needed.

In 2008, Bristol became England's first cycling city and was awarded £22m to encourage residents to ride bicycles. However, three years later, it was announced that the project, which aimed at doubling the number of regular cyclists in the city, had failed to meet its target.