To donate by check, phone, or other method, see our More Ways to Give page.
A group of mothers stand arm-in-arm outside the federal building and Justice Center in downtown Portland, Ore., on July 18, 2020, during another night of protests in Portland. Rights activists and lawmakers expressed outrage over reports that federal agents circulating in unmarked cars in Oregon were grabbing and detaining protesters off the streets. (Photo: Mark Graves, The Oregonian via AP)
Angered over the arrival of federal agents in Portland, Oregon, where racial justice protests have been ongoing for nearly two months, dozens of mothers from across the city joined demonstrators over the weekend to form a "Wall of Moms."
The human shield was formed by the mothers to protect hundreds of demonstrators assembling in the city who in the past week have faced attacks and arrests from federal agents under the direction of the Department of Homeland Security. Those units arrived last week, uninvited by city and state officials, and agents have been filmed pulling protesters into unmarked vehicles as well as tear-gassing crowds.
"We will protect protestors without the use of violence," organizers wrote on a Facebook event page for the first Wall of Moms protest, which took place Saturday night. "We will shine a light of the unjust narrative being thrown around...protestors are being stripped of their rights."
"Let's do what we do best--protect people," the organizers added.
Participants and observers shared videos of the mothers linking arms to wall off protesters at a federal courthouse, holding signs reading, "The Feds Are Outside Agitators" in reference to officials' claims during the nationwide racial justice uprising that people were descending on cities to create chaos during peaceful protests. The women chanted, "Feds stay clear, moms are here!"
A crowd of about 400 has now occupied both SW 3rd and SW Main.
The moms are chanting, "Feds stay clear! Moms are here!" at the federal courthouse.
All three fences are still up. pic.twitter.com/jhJ09NUxGW
-- Lindsey Smith (she/her) (@LindseyPSmith7) July 19, 2020
Organizers reported that the moms were among the protesters who were tear-gassed Saturday.
Despite the violence, an even larger group of mothers showed up Sunday night, assembling at the Multnomah County Justice Center with many of the moms dressed in yellow.
\u201cThe Wall of Moms is back in front of the Justice Center in downtown Portland, and they brought reinforcements.\u201d— Nathaniel St. Clair (@Nathaniel St. Clair) 1595218352
\u201cThe Moms are back in Portland tonight. And there\u2019s more of them.\n\n\u201d— Read Jackson Rising by @CooperationJXN (@Read Jackson Rising by @CooperationJXN) 1595217853
\u201cYou can see how the moms, in yellow, are creating a defensive human wall to protect the crowd in the intersection.\u201d— Robert Evans (The Only Robert Evans) (@Robert Evans (The Only Robert Evans)) 1595219402
\u201cLast night after getting gassed and shot at by the feds, I swore I wasn\u2019t going back to protest again \u2014 but when I heard about a gathering called Wall of Moms, I couldn\u2019t stay home. #fedsout #blacklivesmatter #wallofmoms\u201d— Julia Peattie (@Julia Peattie) 1595145041
Federal agents responded to the gathering of more than 1,000 protesters by again tear-gassing dozens of people, including many of the mothers who had joined the demonstration, and deploying flash-bang grenades.
\u201cThe feds in Portland just indiscriminately launched tear gas at the Moms and started firing pepper rounds and everyone. Horrifying.\n\n\u201d— Read Jackson Rising by @CooperationJXN (@Read Jackson Rising by @CooperationJXN) 1595229138
\u201cThe women in yellow are the Portland moms. Feds just gassed and fired pepper rounds at them.\n\n https://t.co/IKXhjyNuDC\u201d— Read Jackson Rising by @CooperationJXN (@Read Jackson Rising by @CooperationJXN) 1595230716
"Portland moms are nothing to mess with," tweeted civil rights advocate Zakir Khan.
The grassroots coalition plans to continue joining protests "until no protester needs protecting," organizer Bev Barnum told Buzzfeed News.
"There's all the times in one's life when you hear about things in authoritarian regimes and Nazi Germany, and you say, 'I wouldn't put up with that.' This is that time," Julia Peattie, who joined the Wall of Moms Sunday night after participating in the Black Lives Matter protests previously, told Buzzfeed.
Shannon Watts, founder of the national gun control group Moms Demand Action, was among those who applauded the mothers for sacrificing their own safety after witnessing the violence perpetrated by the federal agents.
"American moms are always on the frontlines because if we lose our children, what else do we have to lose?" Watts tweeted.
\u201cAmericans moms are always on the frontlines because if we lose our children, what else do we have to lose? \n\nPortland moms stand on the shoulders of BIPoC moms advocating and resisting for decades with little recognition and more danger. #wallofmoms\u201d— Shannon Watts (@Shannon Watts) 1595252685
Journalist Joshua Potash warned that the agents' willingness to fire tear gas at mothers holding a peaceful demonstration shows the lengths the Trump administration is willing to go to in order to distract from what Oregon Gov. Kate Brown called the president's "failure to lead this nation through a global pandemic" last week.
"If the feds will gas and assault a bunch of moms they'll do anything," tweeted Potash.
Common Dreams is powered by optimists who believe in the power of informed and engaged citizens to ignite and enact change to make the world a better place. We're hundreds of thousands strong, but every single supporter makes the difference. Your contribution supports this bold media model—free, independent, and dedicated to reporting the facts every day. Stand with us in the fight for economic equality, social justice, human rights, and a more sustainable future. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover the issues the corporate media never will. |
Angered over the arrival of federal agents in Portland, Oregon, where racial justice protests have been ongoing for nearly two months, dozens of mothers from across the city joined demonstrators over the weekend to form a "Wall of Moms."
The human shield was formed by the mothers to protect hundreds of demonstrators assembling in the city who in the past week have faced attacks and arrests from federal agents under the direction of the Department of Homeland Security. Those units arrived last week, uninvited by city and state officials, and agents have been filmed pulling protesters into unmarked vehicles as well as tear-gassing crowds.
"We will protect protestors without the use of violence," organizers wrote on a Facebook event page for the first Wall of Moms protest, which took place Saturday night. "We will shine a light of the unjust narrative being thrown around...protestors are being stripped of their rights."
"Let's do what we do best--protect people," the organizers added.
Participants and observers shared videos of the mothers linking arms to wall off protesters at a federal courthouse, holding signs reading, "The Feds Are Outside Agitators" in reference to officials' claims during the nationwide racial justice uprising that people were descending on cities to create chaos during peaceful protests. The women chanted, "Feds stay clear, moms are here!"
A crowd of about 400 has now occupied both SW 3rd and SW Main.
The moms are chanting, "Feds stay clear! Moms are here!" at the federal courthouse.
All three fences are still up. pic.twitter.com/jhJ09NUxGW
-- Lindsey Smith (she/her) (@LindseyPSmith7) July 19, 2020
Organizers reported that the moms were among the protesters who were tear-gassed Saturday.
Despite the violence, an even larger group of mothers showed up Sunday night, assembling at the Multnomah County Justice Center with many of the moms dressed in yellow.
\u201cThe Wall of Moms is back in front of the Justice Center in downtown Portland, and they brought reinforcements.\u201d— Nathaniel St. Clair (@Nathaniel St. Clair) 1595218352
\u201cThe Moms are back in Portland tonight. And there\u2019s more of them.\n\n\u201d— Read Jackson Rising by @CooperationJXN (@Read Jackson Rising by @CooperationJXN) 1595217853
\u201cYou can see how the moms, in yellow, are creating a defensive human wall to protect the crowd in the intersection.\u201d— Robert Evans (The Only Robert Evans) (@Robert Evans (The Only Robert Evans)) 1595219402
\u201cLast night after getting gassed and shot at by the feds, I swore I wasn\u2019t going back to protest again \u2014 but when I heard about a gathering called Wall of Moms, I couldn\u2019t stay home. #fedsout #blacklivesmatter #wallofmoms\u201d— Julia Peattie (@Julia Peattie) 1595145041
Federal agents responded to the gathering of more than 1,000 protesters by again tear-gassing dozens of people, including many of the mothers who had joined the demonstration, and deploying flash-bang grenades.
\u201cThe feds in Portland just indiscriminately launched tear gas at the Moms and started firing pepper rounds and everyone. Horrifying.\n\n\u201d— Read Jackson Rising by @CooperationJXN (@Read Jackson Rising by @CooperationJXN) 1595229138
\u201cThe women in yellow are the Portland moms. Feds just gassed and fired pepper rounds at them.\n\n https://t.co/IKXhjyNuDC\u201d— Read Jackson Rising by @CooperationJXN (@Read Jackson Rising by @CooperationJXN) 1595230716
"Portland moms are nothing to mess with," tweeted civil rights advocate Zakir Khan.
The grassroots coalition plans to continue joining protests "until no protester needs protecting," organizer Bev Barnum told Buzzfeed News.
"There's all the times in one's life when you hear about things in authoritarian regimes and Nazi Germany, and you say, 'I wouldn't put up with that.' This is that time," Julia Peattie, who joined the Wall of Moms Sunday night after participating in the Black Lives Matter protests previously, told Buzzfeed.
Shannon Watts, founder of the national gun control group Moms Demand Action, was among those who applauded the mothers for sacrificing their own safety after witnessing the violence perpetrated by the federal agents.
"American moms are always on the frontlines because if we lose our children, what else do we have to lose?" Watts tweeted.
\u201cAmericans moms are always on the frontlines because if we lose our children, what else do we have to lose? \n\nPortland moms stand on the shoulders of BIPoC moms advocating and resisting for decades with little recognition and more danger. #wallofmoms\u201d— Shannon Watts (@Shannon Watts) 1595252685
Journalist Joshua Potash warned that the agents' willingness to fire tear gas at mothers holding a peaceful demonstration shows the lengths the Trump administration is willing to go to in order to distract from what Oregon Gov. Kate Brown called the president's "failure to lead this nation through a global pandemic" last week.
"If the feds will gas and assault a bunch of moms they'll do anything," tweeted Potash.
Angered over the arrival of federal agents in Portland, Oregon, where racial justice protests have been ongoing for nearly two months, dozens of mothers from across the city joined demonstrators over the weekend to form a "Wall of Moms."
The human shield was formed by the mothers to protect hundreds of demonstrators assembling in the city who in the past week have faced attacks and arrests from federal agents under the direction of the Department of Homeland Security. Those units arrived last week, uninvited by city and state officials, and agents have been filmed pulling protesters into unmarked vehicles as well as tear-gassing crowds.
"We will protect protestors without the use of violence," organizers wrote on a Facebook event page for the first Wall of Moms protest, which took place Saturday night. "We will shine a light of the unjust narrative being thrown around...protestors are being stripped of their rights."
"Let's do what we do best--protect people," the organizers added.
Participants and observers shared videos of the mothers linking arms to wall off protesters at a federal courthouse, holding signs reading, "The Feds Are Outside Agitators" in reference to officials' claims during the nationwide racial justice uprising that people were descending on cities to create chaos during peaceful protests. The women chanted, "Feds stay clear, moms are here!"
A crowd of about 400 has now occupied both SW 3rd and SW Main.
The moms are chanting, "Feds stay clear! Moms are here!" at the federal courthouse.
All three fences are still up. pic.twitter.com/jhJ09NUxGW
-- Lindsey Smith (she/her) (@LindseyPSmith7) July 19, 2020
Organizers reported that the moms were among the protesters who were tear-gassed Saturday.
Despite the violence, an even larger group of mothers showed up Sunday night, assembling at the Multnomah County Justice Center with many of the moms dressed in yellow.
\u201cThe Wall of Moms is back in front of the Justice Center in downtown Portland, and they brought reinforcements.\u201d— Nathaniel St. Clair (@Nathaniel St. Clair) 1595218352
\u201cThe Moms are back in Portland tonight. And there\u2019s more of them.\n\n\u201d— Read Jackson Rising by @CooperationJXN (@Read Jackson Rising by @CooperationJXN) 1595217853
\u201cYou can see how the moms, in yellow, are creating a defensive human wall to protect the crowd in the intersection.\u201d— Robert Evans (The Only Robert Evans) (@Robert Evans (The Only Robert Evans)) 1595219402
\u201cLast night after getting gassed and shot at by the feds, I swore I wasn\u2019t going back to protest again \u2014 but when I heard about a gathering called Wall of Moms, I couldn\u2019t stay home. #fedsout #blacklivesmatter #wallofmoms\u201d— Julia Peattie (@Julia Peattie) 1595145041
Federal agents responded to the gathering of more than 1,000 protesters by again tear-gassing dozens of people, including many of the mothers who had joined the demonstration, and deploying flash-bang grenades.
\u201cThe feds in Portland just indiscriminately launched tear gas at the Moms and started firing pepper rounds and everyone. Horrifying.\n\n\u201d— Read Jackson Rising by @CooperationJXN (@Read Jackson Rising by @CooperationJXN) 1595229138
\u201cThe women in yellow are the Portland moms. Feds just gassed and fired pepper rounds at them.\n\n https://t.co/IKXhjyNuDC\u201d— Read Jackson Rising by @CooperationJXN (@Read Jackson Rising by @CooperationJXN) 1595230716
"Portland moms are nothing to mess with," tweeted civil rights advocate Zakir Khan.
The grassroots coalition plans to continue joining protests "until no protester needs protecting," organizer Bev Barnum told Buzzfeed News.
"There's all the times in one's life when you hear about things in authoritarian regimes and Nazi Germany, and you say, 'I wouldn't put up with that.' This is that time," Julia Peattie, who joined the Wall of Moms Sunday night after participating in the Black Lives Matter protests previously, told Buzzfeed.
Shannon Watts, founder of the national gun control group Moms Demand Action, was among those who applauded the mothers for sacrificing their own safety after witnessing the violence perpetrated by the federal agents.
"American moms are always on the frontlines because if we lose our children, what else do we have to lose?" Watts tweeted.
\u201cAmericans moms are always on the frontlines because if we lose our children, what else do we have to lose? \n\nPortland moms stand on the shoulders of BIPoC moms advocating and resisting for decades with little recognition and more danger. #wallofmoms\u201d— Shannon Watts (@Shannon Watts) 1595252685
Journalist Joshua Potash warned that the agents' willingness to fire tear gas at mothers holding a peaceful demonstration shows the lengths the Trump administration is willing to go to in order to distract from what Oregon Gov. Kate Brown called the president's "failure to lead this nation through a global pandemic" last week.
"If the feds will gas and assault a bunch of moms they'll do anything," tweeted Potash.