JACKSON, MS (Mississippi News Now) -
The American Civil Liberties Union is fighting a plan to ban saggy pants in Hinds County.
The group plans a Monday protest against a ban proposed by Hinds County Supervisor Kenneth Stokes. The protest will take place before a public hearing on the proposed law.
The civil liberties group says bans like this unfairly target black men and are unconstitutional restrictions of freedom of expression. Proponents of the ban say the low-riding pants are indecent. But the ACLU says no one is harmed by the clothing style.
"We don't have to sit here and watch people walk around with their behinds showing and those kind of things. Now, if they are saying that's a guaranteed constitutional issue then lets go to court. That's what courts are for," said Kenneth Stokes.
Columbia, Columbus, Guntown, Indianola, Meridian, Ripley, Saltillo and Wiggins are among the Mississippi cities that have banned saggy pants recently. Their ordinances prohibit anyone from wearing pants or skirts that ride more than three inches below the top of hips and which expose skin or underwear.
Copyright 2012 WLBT. All rights reserved. AP contributed to this report.
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