FOLLOW-UP: Beach plans to drop charges against Abercrombie store (Feb. 5, 2008)
VIRGINIA BEACH
Police, saying they were responding to citizen complaints, carted away two large promotional photographs from the Abercrombie & Fitch store in Lynnhaven Mall on Saturday and cited the manager on obscenity charges.
Adam Bernstein, a police spokesman, said the seizure and the issuance of the summons came only after store management had not heeded warnings to remove the images.
The citation was issued under City Code Section 22.31, Bernstein said, which makes it a crime to display "obscene materials in a business that is open to juveniles." He did not say what was being done with the pictures and when the manager, whose name was not released, is scheduled to appear in court.
The manager, reached by telephone, declined to comment on the incident Saturday, saying that he was conferring with and waiting for guidance from Abercrombie corporate officials.
The mural-like black-and-white photographs were taken from the store at midafternoon.
Bernstein confirmed that one depicts three shirtless young men from the back, walking through a field. The man in the lead appears to be about to pull up his jeans, which have slipped down enough to reveal his upper buttocks.
The same image is displayed on the Abercrombie Web site.
The other image is of a woman who is topless and whose "breast is displayed with her hand covering just the nipple portion," Bernstein said. "You could still pretty much see the rest of the breast."
The seizure was "prompted by several customer complaints, and the management of Abercrombie & Fitch was notified of those complaints," Bernstein said.
The company's corporate offices in New Albany, Ohio, were closed Saturday and no officials could be reached for comment.
Bernstein said the summons for a Class One misdemeanor was issued to the manager because there is no legal way to issue a summons to a corporate entity in such circumstances. The manager was not arrested but faces a fine of up to $2,000 and as much as a year in jail, if convicted.
Bernstein said that in a meeting last week with store management, the officer - who is assigned to routine patrol of the mall - said he understood it was a corporate decision as to what would be displayed in the stores. But he explained that that didn't exempt the local store from complying with the city code.
Bernstein said management was told specifically: "We want those advertising signs taken down."
When the officer returned to the store Saturday, Bernstein said, he found that the pictures were still in place.
Abercrombie & Fitch has earned a reputation for its risqué catalogues and promotional photography featuring scantily clothed models.
In 2003, the company halted publication of its 7-year-old A&F Quarterly catalog because of complaints about sexually suggestive photographs by award-winning photographer Bruce Weber.
Steve Stone, (757) 446-2309, steve.stone@pilotonline.com
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What is Wrong With This Picture
First of all, I stumbled upon this looking up another story. When I saw this, I was shocked. The Manager got arrested for WHAT????? Well, let me tell you, I see a hell of a lot more on T. V. than this photo shows. They are 18 or over, I would presume. I see almost totally nude women on T.V. all the time. So, tell me what is the difference? I see none. So, if someone calls the police, and stated they saw a woman's breast while watching a soap opera, are they going to arrest CBS, NBC, or any other network????This is redicilous. I am not for butt shots or breast shots, but, look, it's 2009. Kids see way more than that. I say, let the manager out of jail, give Abercrombie & Fitch back their photo's and seek out drug dealers. That's the one's need to be arrested. To the person that turned this in to the police, you must be real fat and can't fit in their clothing. You got jealous, and took revenge. Get a real life and leave the hard working class alone. Oh, you were also jealous that you weren't the girl shown:)
Totally agree with comment
Totally agree with comment above, Better find drug dealers and get them arrested, and about children, they saw much more nude than this and it is okay ...
I think that there are
I think that there are plenty of other ways to advertise, but A & F knows that the best way to advertise is through the obscene pictures such as the one posted on their website. I don't think that they have another way of advertising their products.
true religion
mouse clicks progam this repertory theater
that poses as a newspaper.
Pretty Sad
When this is the biggest story of the year it's time to change the VA Pilot masthead to the VA Pilot & Enquirer. What a waste of ink, not to mention police time.
Vulgar and rude
OK, Va-Pilot, Happy New year. Your news page I have as my home page, but this is not news, and if I wanted to see teenage buttocks, I'm sure I could find better pics of them elsewhere. There's got to be a better picture than this to start off your New Year. God bless us all!!
moviemakr08
Wow...talk about a brainwashed employee...."Hereeeeee's moviemakr08"
Poster Crimes
This is probably the biggest case solved by the Virginia Beach police all 2008.
I agree with Nancy, there is
I agree with Nancy, there is no way this case can pass as part of the 1st amendment for the freedom of speech. There is a certain limit on how far the amendment will go and abusing it is plainly a sign to push it as far as they can. It is the court's duty to stop this conspiracy of getting passed the law
Wow! maybe if you understood!
To all of you writing on this blog, this is all that i have to say. How old are you? Most of you probably over the age of 30. If so get a life. Abercrombie and Fitch is not based for you. It is for High School and College kids. The pictures are obviously working, because the store is always swamped with people. And moving on to the fine on the manager at the store, let me say this. HE or SHE HAS NO CHOICE IN WHETER OR NOT THEY GET HUNG OR NOT. that kind of stuff is monitored by corporate very closely. We have strict schedules one when thing go up and when they come down. I am a Manager at Abercrombie and as i said we have no choice and why would we ever think about taking them down. they are serving their purpose. IT WORKS, IT GETS KIDS TO GO IN AND SHOP!!!