Benicia Has One "Occupy" Demonstrator on Saturday

A Benicia Police motorcycle officer, on patrol Saturday November 12th at 11:42 am, came across a 52 year old Benicia woman who had stripped naked and was holding a hand made "Occupy" sign at the intersection of First Street and Military West.

The officer saw the woman as she was disrobing and immediately stopped and spoke to her. She then completely disrobed and momentarily held the sign above her head.

After repeated requests by the officer to put her clothes on, the woman refused and was taken into custody without incident for indecent exposure. The location she had chosen to stop at is in front of a busy city park and on the corner of Benicia's main downtown intersection.

The woman, who is unemployed, was taken to the Benicia Police Department and provided her reasons for her actions. Due to confidentiality laws, her motives and reasons will not be disclosed.  There are unconfirmed reports she is an unemployed teacher who was recently laid off.

Because the woman said she would return to the same intersection and disrobe again if released from police custody, she was booked into the Solano County Jail in Fairfield for one misdemeanor count of indecent exposure. The woman was arraigned November 15th and released from jail at that time.

"This is the first incident we have experienced where someone has identified themselves with the Occupy movement," Benicia Police Lt. Mike Daley said. "Unfortunately, her actions were a clear violation of the law and our officer had no option but to arrest her as she continually refused to put her clothes back on."