Three hundred shirt- and-braless men and women marched through Midtown Manhattan on Sunday in honor of the 8th annual GoTopless Day.

"Our goal is for equal gender topless rights to be enforced worldwide, freeing women's nipples," said Rachel Jessee, an actress, model and the head of the GoTopless group in New York, during the NYC topless pride parade, reports Metro.

During the march, the demonstrators asserted their legal right to go topless in public, while others addressed the large crowd of gawkers and sympathizers that gathered around them.

"I hope you are here for the right reasons!" shouted Phoenix Feeley, a 35-year-old topless advocate in New Jersey, to the mostly male crowd, according to the New York Daily News. "We have to cover up so you don't attack us? That's your problem. Not ours."

Katie Lombardo, a 26-year-old event coordinator from Long Island, stopped to pose for photos with onlookers.

"Free your mind! Free your nipples!" she shouted. "Men can walk around shirtless all the time. Why can't we? I love it, this is about the genders being equal."

Although many spectators supported the rally, others did not.

"This is sweet. I didn't know this was happening today. Who doesn't like breasts?" said one man, whereas another guy condemned the women, saying, "These ladies should cover up if they don't want guys to stare at them."

As they marched from Columbus Circle to Bryant Park, the protesters were also standing in solidarity with the two topless painted women in Times Square who are famous for taking pictures with people for money. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, however, has denounced the bare-breasted ladies, vowing to make Times Square a more family oriented environment.

Protester Luna Vega, 25, said the painted ladies of Times Square shouldn't be persecuted.

"I support them. They are just trying to make a living," Vega said at the rally. "I always see them smiling and posing for photos. People walk up to them. They want to pose with them."

Likewise, Jennifer Deseo, 45, pointed out that there is a double standard between the painted ladies and the famed Naked Cowboy of Times Square, who was not criticized to the same degree.

"I have no problem with the Naked Cowboy posing shirtless and in a Speedo. But I don't see why the mayor wants to tear up Times Square because these women are doing the same thing," said Deseo.

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