The NYPD says that a couple of those naked painted ladies who hang out in Time Square beat up an old man and threw coffee on him over the weekend, all because he snapped a photo, the New York Daily News writes.
The women, known locally as desnudas, wear nothing but body paint as they pose for photos (and maybe sometimes do more) with people in exchange for cash in the iconic Manhattan neighborhood. At this point, they've become as commonplace as an inappropriate Cookie Monster.
The News reports that the 70-year-old man started arguing with one of the desnudas after she became upset when he took a photo of her while she was eating. Police say the woman splashed the man with coffee and assaulted him before running off. Another desnuda, 18-year-old Tarrah Merill, is accused of punching the man in his face. She faces a felony charge of assault on a person over 65.
Although it's still 100 percent legal for women to go topless in New York, Mayor Bill de Blasio waged a campaign last year to get rid of the desnudas after tabloid pressure. Earlier this year a bill was passed to limit their nude antics to several "activity zones." A New York Post reporter documented the world of the desnudas last year by going topless herself and joining them for a day.
