On Monday, Sydney Sweeney posted a video to her Instagram that grabbed the internet — and law enforcement’s — attention.
In the footage, Sweeney can be seen with a group of people, all dressed in black. They proceed to scale the Hollywood sign, draping various pieces of lingerie all over the iconic Los Angeles landmark. However, according to the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, the stunt was not authorized, The L.A. Times reported.
The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce owns the trademark rights for the sign’s image and likeness, while the non-profit Hollywood Sign Trust is responsible for maintaining and managing the sign.
The actress described her decision to promote her new lingerie line, Syrn, not as a stunt but as “a signal,” in a statement to The New York Times. The line dropped two days after the video was posted on Wednesday.
Steve Nisse, chief executive of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, said that Sweeney never received authorization to scale the sign, nor did the group have any prior knowledge of the scheme, in the same New York Times article.
According to Jeffery Schneider, executive director of USC Gould’s Center for Sports, Entertainment, Media and Technology Law, Sweeney’s advertisement was unauthorized. He says she broke California’s Penal Code Section 602, criminal trespassing without permission, and crossing a security fence illegally.
Violations of this law usually result in misdemeanor convictions, and if tried, Sweeney could face up to $1,000 dollars in fines.
The Hollywood Sign website outlines that “filming [at the sign] is restricted to daylight hours only.”
The website also notes that “no climbing on or touching of the sign is permitted,” adding that “no alteration, physical changes ... of the Hollywood Sign or surrounding area is allowed.”
Schneider said Sweeney’s actions of “literally hanging her clothes from someone else’s trademark” provided the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce with “a very good argument for trademark infringement.”
Sweeney’s celebrity status doesn’t help her case. Schneider says that “If she is charged, I think she would probably be charged not for what she did, which is clearly a violation, but because she’s famous,” he continues, “And it will serve as a warning to other people whether they should or shouldn’t.”
The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce has not said whether the group plans to take legal action against the actress, nor has Sweeney addressed the controversy.
Syrn is a “playground for self-expression,” that is, “from the heart, brains and boobs of Sydney Sweeney,” according to its official website.
Sweeney told ELLE Magazine she was motivated by her frustration with the “annoying strap” and “cutting bands” that most bras have. She said Syrn “understands women instead of talking at them.”
However, Selena Rodriguez, a freshman studying health and human sciences, felt differently.
“I think it puts a bad image on women just to have something like lingerie put on the sign,” Rodriguez said. “I think we’re already at a time where we still have to fight for us to be seen as equals.”
Similarly, Mikaella Gasparyan, a freshman majoring in journalism, said Sweeney was known for “oversexualizing herself in general,” and felt “like there were other ways she could promote her brand through just advertising,” like other brands such as Victoria’s Secret.
This is not the first time Sweeney has faced controversy. Last summer, the star ended up in hot water after an ad campaign for American Eagle. The campaign tagline, “Sydney Sweeny has great jeans,” led many to accuse the star of supporting eugenics.
Months after the campaign aired, Sweeney addressed the public backlash. “I did it because I love the jeans and love the brand. I don’t support the views some people chose to connect to the campaign. Many have assigned motives and labels to me that just aren’t true,” she told People magazine.
However, the controversy did not stall sales; in fact, American Eagle broke sales records, according to a press email to People magazine.
Only time will tell if Syrn will have the same success. Though the star has faced backlash for other controversies, for Sweeney, success seems buried in scandal.