The unidentified woman suddenly appeared amid tear gas fired by police at angry protesters in Portland, USA, who have been protesting since George Floyd 's death in Minneapolis on May 25. She wears only a hood and face mask.
Numerous photos posted online show an unidentified woman as she goes out on the street, naked, around 1:45 a.m. (local time in Portland) and stands quietly among the crowd on the street. Reporters present said (via the Los Angeles Times) that she appeared as a surreal image in the face of a nationwide force criticized for civil rights violations. Police officers, wearing gas masks and helmets, continued firing pepper balls.
Someone tried to cover her, but she clearly did not want to.
And then? Naked Athena appeared and the little boys didn’t know what to do. pic.twitter.com/Elo69SsV0t
— Donovan “It was the blurst of times” Farley ?? (@DonovanFarley) July 18, 2020
Later, according to photographer Dave Killen, the woman sat on the asphalt, spread her legs in front of the police and started taking ballet and yoga poses. Later, they left.
On social media, people described the woman as "naked Athena". In Greek mythology, Athena was the god of war, the favorite daughter of Zeus, a fierce and ruthless warrior.
Nudity has served as a form of protest, at least in the 11th century. According to legend, Lady Godiva, an Anglo-Saxon woman, protector of churches and monasteries, is thought to have ridden naked in England, covered with long hair, to protest oppressive taxation.
The photograph of the woman in Portland is also being compared to other important moments in history, where the savage force is placed in front of its opposite, being hurt. Examples are the 1967 photograph of a Vietnam War protester placing a carnation in the rifle of an American soldier.
or that of 1989, when a man appeared in front of a convoy of tanks in Beijing Square, a day after the Chinese military had suppressed protests by force.
Burimi: Los Angeles Times, Page Six, Oregon Live
