Editor’s note: In Retrospect features articles from significant points in the history of Iowa State. This article ran in the Iowa State Daily, March 7, 1974.

Streaking fad hits Iowa State

By STAFF WRITERS

Streaking, rapidly becoming a nation-wide fad, hit the Iowa State campus and Ames Tuesday night in full force.

Streaking is a form of exhibition in which participants (streakers) run naked through populated areas.

Six separate streaking incidents reportedly occurred in Ames Tuesday night, resulting in two arrests, according to Ames police.

One arrest occurred around midnight along U.S. Highway 30, when a man was sitting naked “with his back to the road,” according to Barbara Christy, chief deputy. John G. Fox, E Sc. 1, Urbandale, was cited for indecent behavior and released on his own recognizance.

Another arrest was made on the corner of Lincoln Way and Kellogg Street about 1:50 a.m. Wednesday morning, Police Chief A. E. Siedelmann said. David H. Walling, AA AD 1, Council Bluffs, was charged with indecent behavior.

Three streaking incidents were reported on campus last night but no arrests were made, Dean Drake, Campus security chief, said.

One incident occurred between 10 and 10:30 p.m., with streakers running from Curtiss Hall to Beardshear Hall. About 60 streakers participated before a crowd of about 250 people.

Between 10:30 and 11 p.m., about 200 spectators gathered in the Friley Hall area to view another streaking episode and at 11:45 p.m., about 20 streakers were observed in the Richardson Court Association area.

At about 1:30 a.m. Wednesday morning a male clad in a brimmed hat and carrying a three-foot stuffed panda bear streaked through Dugan’s Deli, 2902 West Street.

According to Attorney General Richard Turner, there is probably no Iowa law to prevent streaking.

According to an Associated Press story, Turner said that unless streakers were found to be disturbing the peace, they would be innocent of any wrongdoing if they were asked to leave and did.

“We go by the attorney general’s opinion,” Drake said. “As far as I know, there is no law against it (streaking.)

“However, if the streakers get disruptive, there are other laws pertaining to that,” he added.

Because of a recent Iowa Supreme Court opinion there is no law on the state books under which streakers can be prosecuted, according to Story County Attorney Ruth Harkin.

The Feb. 20 court decision ruled Iowa’s indecent exposure statute unconstitutionally vague so “as of now there is nothing to prosecute the streakers on,” Harkin said.

Since the university is state property, the state code would apply to any streaking incidents on campus, although a question could arise as to who has jurisdiction in certain areas, she said.

The city ordinance against indecent behavior could be used to prosecute streakers within city limits but they could also be challenged in court if they are vague, she said.

Siedelmann said that the arrest made at the corner of Lincoln Way and Kellogg Street would be watched as a test case when it comes up in court to check on the constitutionality of the city ordinance.

The state statute which was struck down (chapter 725.1) provided for up to six months imprisonment and up to a $200 fine for anyone who “is guilty of open and gross lewdness and designedly makes an obscene exposure of his or her person or the person of another.”

The vague words which rendered the statute unconstitutional are “lewdness, indecent, and obscene” which have not been defined, Harkin said.

“The city doesn’t really have an ordinance pertaining to streaking specifically,” said John Klas, city attorney. “Indecent behavior is how it is termed in municipal code.”

The city ordinance pertaining to indecent behavior is Ordinance 812, Section 24-1037 which reads: “Any person who papers in any public place or exposes himself or herself to public view in a state of nudity or in an indecent or lewd dress, or any person, who makes any indecent exposure of his or her person or is guilty of lewd or indecent conduct, is guilty of a misdemeanor.”

“The words ‘lewd and indecent’ are probably unconstitutionally vague, however, the first part of this section might be applicable,” Klas said.

Siedelmann said the Ames Police do not plan to make any arrests on campus.

“We don’t normally go on campus and we don’t anticipate any arrests.”

One streaker in the Richardson Court area reported that an Ames police car chased some streakers up Richardson Drive, hitting a parking meter with his car.

Siedelmann said he did not know about the incident although he said “one of our cars did bump into a parking meter.”

Vice-President for Student Affairs Wilbur Layton said the Ames police can make arrests on campus. “The campus is considered a part of the community. We are not a sanctuary for streakers.”

Layton said the administration is following the attorney general’s opinion and will not make arrests as long as streakers’ behavior does not become disruptive.

“We obviously don’t condone the behavior,” Layton said. “We’re concerned that someone doesn’t get hurt.”

“They’re going so fast I don’t know if you can stop them long enough to do anything about it.”

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Daily staff writer Jamie Lange compiled this report.