A controversial ban on saggy pants in Ocala City, Florida, has been pulled up after a threatened lawsuit from the civil rights group NACCP.
The NACCP had criticized the law, which came into effect in July 2014, and said it would take action against the city for unfairly profiling African-American men, according to WKMG radio.
Shortly after the NAACP criticism about the law, Ocala’s mayor declined support for the law and urged the council to reconsider.
In a majority vote on Tuesday, September 16, Ocala City Council members repealed the law, which banned anyone on city property from wearing their pants two inches below the natural waist in a way that exposed their underwear or buttocks. Offenders were to be fined up to $500 and spend time in jail.
The saggy pants ban was introduced by Councilwoman Deborah Rich.
“It’s not true that I did this to profile black men. As you can see, I’ve been black a long time,” said Rich. “I have a black son, I have two black grandsons and two black great-grandsons. So why would I want an ordinance that would hurt them or any other young black person?” reported WUFT.FM