(17 Jan 1996) English/Nat
The city of Coventry in the English Midlands, is known as the scene of Lady Godiva's famous naked horse ride... and the birthplace of the British automobile industry.
The community's dual claim to fame was highlighted as a naked protester-- invoking the spirit of Lady Godiva-- disrupted a service celebrating the 100th anniversary of the automobile at Coventry Cathedral.
The service was organized to celebrate the centenary of the Daimler factory in Coventry.
An 1897 model led the procession into the cathedral.
But the service also attracted groups and individuals opposed to the environmental impact of the automobile-- like this woman.
She made her point by following the tradition of Lady Godiva-- standing naked in
front of the packed congregation.
The young woman - known only as Angel - was led out with police desperately trying to cover her body with her coat.
It wasn't only protestors who saw the down side of the automobile industry.
Even the bishop of Coventry admitted the car has been a mixed blessing.
The Right Rev. Simon Barrington-Ward, Bishop of Coventry, said the car had been misused in the past and had caused pollution.
An Peugeot electric prototype-- representing the future-- was driven out of the cathedral-- into the mob of waiting protestors-- ending the service.
SOUNDBITE:
"I think the celebration of the car in this way in the cathedral is nothing short of obscene really and my dressing up in this way is to illustrate the gravity of the situation."
SUPER CAPTION: Alan Gledhill, Friends of the Earth
Outside, about a hundred protesters, dressed as angels, bishops and panto-horses jostled with police.
SOUNDBITE:
"My child can't breath clean air. My child was run over when she was one. Another woman, a friend of mine said I wish my baby was as lovely as that and that little girl died and this is what it is all about today. It's about real issues when it gets personal, not when it has to do with money which it seems this has all been about for the people in there. Here it's the planet and its people is a personal issue-- it's the planet and it's people."
SUPER CAPTION: Twinin Hyndman, Road Peace
The protest featured Lady Godiva look alikes. According to folklore, she was the wife of an 11th century earl of Mercia, who rode naked through Coventry as a condition of her husband's repealing some unpopular taxes.
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