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Crowds that have gathered daily and nightly outside the
immigration facility in Oregon's largest city in recent days
have embraced the absurd, donning inflatable frog, unicorn,
axolotl and banana costumes as they face off with federal law
enforcement who often deploy tear gas and pepper balls.
The bike ride is an annual tradition that usually happens in the
summer, but organizers of this weekend’s hastily called event
said another nude ride was necessary to speak out against
President Donald Trump’s attempts to mobilize the National Guard
to quell protests.
Rider Janene King called the nude ride a “quintessentially
Portland way to protest.”
The 51-year-old was naked except for wool socks, a wig and a
hat. She sipped hot tea and said she was unbothered by the
steady rain and temperatures in the mid-50s (about 12 Celsius).
“We definitely do not want troops coming into our city,” King
said.
Bike riders made their way through the streets and to the city’s
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building. Authorities
there ordered people to stay out of the street and protest only
on sidewalks or risk being arrested.
The city is awaiting the ruling of an appeals court panel on
whether Trump can send out the federalized troops after a
federal judge on Oct. 5 ordered a temporary hold on deployment.
“Joy is a form of protest. Being together with mutual respect
and kindness is a form of protest,” the ride’s organizers said
on Instagram. “It’s your choice how much or little you wear.”
Fewer people were fully naked than usual — likely because of the
cool, wet weather — but some still bared it all and rode wearing
only bike helmets.
Naked bike rides have thronged the streets of Oregon’s largest
city every year since 2004, often holding up traffic as the
crowd cycles through with speakers playing music. Some years
have drawn roughly 10,000 riders, according to Portland World
Naked Bike Ride.
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Weber reported from Los Angeles.
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