'HOLLYBOOB' Makers Say They Were Protesting Instagram Censorship

HOLLYWOOD, CA — The mastermind behind Monday's 'Hollyboob' prank on the landmark has come forward, claiming she did so to protest the censorship of nudity on Instagram. Julia Rose, the founder of Shagmag and the person who came up with the stunt, says she was locked out of her account for nudity.

Rose and five others were arrested Monday and cited for trespassing after police cameras caught them in the act.

The influencer told L.A. Times she came up with the idea last year after Instagram warned her of having too much nudity on her page and that of Shagmag, which had about 6 million followers combined. She added she knew she was "pushing the boundaries of censorship" but felt she was unfairly targeted compared to larger brands such as Playboy.

"My product is nearly identical to that of Playboy’s, and my content may even be considered safer than what Playboy’s has been allowed to publish on your platform," Rose told Vice. "I want to know how they are picking and choosing which accounts to disable and why."

Rose said she tried to pull the stunt several times in 2020, but couldn't reach the landmark because the large tarps were too heavy. After her accounts were permanently removed in December 2020, she decided to try again by swapping out the second "B" with a small dash they could add to the "D."

“We just kind of went for it, knowing that we could get caught," she told the Times.

Rose said she's received plenty of positive comments, while social media was quick to make jokes and have a laugh about the incident. Others took a more stern stance, such as Captain Steve Lurie of the Los Angeles Police Department.

"A few hours ago, a group attempted to vandalize the Hollywood sign," Lurie tweeted Monday. "Los Angeles landmarks are precious to those of us and this was way uncool (not to mention the terrain is quite steep & dangerous). Hollywood patrol officers have arrested all six individuals."