Protestors in Portland, Oregon, are organising a naked bike ride to oppose Trump’s plan to unleash the National Guard on the city.
Trump has claimed that the city has descended into “lawless mayhem” and that federal troops are needed to protect ICE agents in Portland.
The World Naked Bike Ride Portland, an offshoot of the official World Naked Bike Ride, has confirmed that “plans are being worked on” to peacefully resist the National Guard’s deployment.
“We’re meeting and talking with other local protest groups about what we all feel this event should be”, said World Naked Bike Ride Portland. “We’re watching the weather and expecting the ride to happen in the next couple of weeks on a weekend, mid/late afternoon. We do not collaborate with the police, not for help leading or corking.
“It’s your own personal choice how much or little clothing you wear.”
Portland first started hosting naked bike rides in 2004, as cyclists protested the high profits enjoyed by oil companies in Oregon. Public nudity is a legal form of protest in Oregon.
Trump has described Portland as a “NEVER ENDING DISASTER” on Truth Social and has claimed that crime rates have soared in the city.
However, a federal judge has temporarily blocked Trump’s order to redeploy troops stationed in Texas and California to Portland. The same court has also blocked Trump from sending Oregon’s own National Guard to Portland.
Judge Immergut, who was appointed by Trump, has said that there is nothing to suggest that protests in the city warrant the presence of federal troops. Her ruling will remain in place until October 19.
Previously, the president had deployed the National Guard in Washington D.C., and in Los Angeles, clashing with California Governor Gavin Newsom in the process. Newsom has announced plans to sue the president over the proposed re-depolyment of his state’s troops to Oregon.
Portland has long been a target for Trump, with the president claiming in a text message to Oregon’s governor, Tina Kotek, that the city was an “unmitigated disaster.”
In another message, Kotek, a Democrat, replied by saying that the president had broken a promise that he would speak to her before “taking further action” against Portland.
“I just received your notice to mobilize the Oregon National guard outside of my control,” she wrote. “I believe this is unlawful and unwarranted. You broke your promise to speak with me before taking further action against Portland. I will be in touch later.”
In a public statement, Kotek denied that there were any threats to national security in Portland.
“The only threat we face is to our Democracy – and that threat is being led by President Trump,” she said.
