A federal court in Florida today issued an order preventing the state of Florida from blocking nude anti-war activists.

As has been occurring in other cities, a group of women planed "to gather in a state park, strip nude and form a peace symbol with their bodies in protest of a U.S. war on Iraq."

"U.S. District Judge Donald M. Middlebrooks wrote an eleven-page order stating that "nude overtly political speech in the form of a 'living nude peace symbol' is expressive conduct well within the ambit of the First Amendment."

The demonstration took place Friday morning at John D. MacArthur Beach State Park on Singer Island, north of West Palm Beach. Two dozen men and women took off their clothes, lay down and formed a peace symbol.

Why the nudity? "Organizer T. A. Wyner said the protesters stripped because it shows vulnerability and calls attention to their lack of weapons."

Marilyn Weil, who brought her three young grandchildren to the Singer Island beach Friday morning, said she was warned before she reached the sand about the protest. "It's a little bizarre, but it's freedom of expression and that's what this country is all about," Weil said. "I'd rather have them see that than a bunch of dead bodies on the television screen, which is what we'd see if we bomb Iraq."

Update: You can view photos from the various protests here. [link via Buzzflash]