Moms Form a Human Shield to Protect Protestors in Portland

Moms are fierce

The situation in Portland has gone from bad to worse. Like something out of a dystopian novel, American citizens are now being picked up in unmarked vehicles and detained.

Protests have continued in Portland since the death of George Floyd, over 50 days ago. Most have been peaceful protests, especially during the day. But at night, the peaceful demonstrations have sometimes turned violent.

In came the federal forces. Rather than putting a stop to violent demonstrations, they have only intensified the situation. Federal officers were not requested by the city or the state. Indeed, Portland Mayor, Ted Wheeler, has pleaded with federal officers to leave the city. Oregon governor, Kate Brown has also called for federal forces to go.

But they haven’t left. They have stayed, magnifying the conflict, creating more unrest. And now they’re driving around in unmarked cars and picking Americans off the streets.

Moms have had enough

A group of about 100 moms, as seen on footage from Twitter took to the streets of Portland on Saturday intending to do what they could to protect the protestors from police brutality.

Dubbed the “Wall of Moms,” they could be heard chanting, “ Moms are here, feds stay clear.” Bev Barnum, the organizer of the mom’s group told Buzzfeed News, “We are about protecting peaceful citizens’ right to protest.”

On her Facebook page, Barnum wrote the following,

As most of you have read and seen on the news, protesters are being hurt (without cause). And as of late, protesters are being stripped of their rights by being placed in unmarked cars by unidentifiable law enforcement.

We moms are often underestimated. But we’re stronger than we’re given credit for.

So what do you say, will you stand with me? Will you help me create a wall of moms?

The moms heard and the moms responded.

They came out to the streets of Portland and formed a human wall, with protesters on one side and the federal officers on the other. The moms held off the officers for several hours until the officers began tear-gassing the crowd and dispersing people with flash-bang devices.

They showed up again on Sunday

Twitter users report the moms were back last night, dressed in yellow. And this time, there were more.

Again, from Twitter footage, you can see they were tear-gassed and dispersed.

Moms are fierce

These moms are not about to let tear-gassing and flash-bang devices stop them. They’re already planning the next protest. Barnum has created a permanent Facebook group to organize more events.

“We’ll be out until no protester needs protecting,” — Bev Barnum

Don’t mess with moms

Yes, they may wear mom jeans and nag you to eat your vegetables. They probably spend too much time on their phones. They love Target and leggings and they talk entirely too much about red wine and coffee. (As a mom myself, I’m free to say these things.)

But moms are there when you need them. They are fierce when they need to be. They are not going to sit back and watch children be brutalized in the streets. Black lives matter. Black sons and daughters matter.

“Moms are here, feds stay clear.”