Appellate court: Chicago topless ban doesn't violate rights

CHICAGO (AP) - An appeals court has ruled in a civil case brought by a "GoTopless Day" activist that a Chicago ordinance barring women from baring their chests in public doesn't violate her constitutional rights.

The Chicago Daily Law Bulletin reports a three-judge panel of the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a lower-court ruling 2 to 1.

Sonoko Tagami sued after police ticketed her for violating the ordinance during a 2014 nationwide protest of such bans. She said Chicago's ban violated her free-speech rights.

Writing the majority opinion posted Wednesday, Judge Diane Sykes said Tagami's need to explain she was protesting demonstrated her nudity didn't communicate a message. She added the city's interests in "protecting traditional moral norms" were self-evident.

Dissenting Judge Ilana Diamond Rovner disagreed, saying Tagami's message was clear.