Speaker Johnson calls Portland's naked bike protest the 'most threatening thing' | kgw.com
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
The U.S. House Speaker's comment appeared to be a quip, but he said it while dismissing claims that federal officers are using excessive force. 
To stream KGW on your phone, you need the KGW app.
Download the KGW app
More Videos
Next up in 5
Example video title will go here for this video
-
Next up in 5
Example video title will go here for this video
PORTLAND, Oregon — This past weekend, hundreds of people "bared it all" in Portland to protest President Trump's plan to send the National Guard to the city.
The group took part in what organizers called an "emergency naked bike ride" in the rain. The event is usually held during the summer as an annual protest against fossil fuels, but this time it was organized in response to the deployment plan. Riders gathered outside the Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in Portland's South Waterfront neighborhood.
RELATED: Naked bike riders demonstrate against federal troops in 'quintessentially Portland' protest
The event even caught the attention of U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson. During a news conference in Washington, D.C., about the ongoing government shutdown, Johnson was asked about reports of federal officers using excessive force and whether Congress should implement more oversight.
"I've not seen them cross the line yet," Johnson said. "We have committees that are jurisdiction who have that responsibility, but it's not risen to that level. What I've seen is the abuse of law enforcement by radical leftist activists. You know, most recently, the most threatening thing I've seen yet was the naked bicyclers in Portland who were protesting ICE down there. I mean, it's getting really ugly."
While Johnson's comments appeared somewhat tongue-in-cheek — judging by the smiles of those standing behind him — he continued by saying protesters have physically attacked federal officers.
"They have attacked, physically assaulted officers. People have been arrested, OK. This is serious business and ICE and the valiant brave patriotic Americans who step up to serve in these dangerous law enforcement positions deserve our respect and our support," Johnson said.
Fewer people were fully naked than usual at the barebacked biking event given the cool, wet weather that day. The World Naked Bike Ride has been a staple of Portland's quirky reputation since its inception in 2004. Some years have drawn upwards of 10,000 riders.
RELATED: 'Let them out': Federal agents delayed ambulance from leaving Portland ICE facility with injured protester
Close Ad
Tags
Who is online
78 visitors
Is this a joke or how he really feels?
If it’s a joke, it seems like he has to be taking a shot at Trump and Noem, who talk about Portland like it’s Gaza.
If it’s really how he feels, he’s either caught up in the fake hysteria, or he’s one hell of a snowflake.
Johnson didn’t smile when he said it, but the woman next to him laughed.
I'm sorry.... are you asking if a situation including the phrase "emergency naked bike ride" is serious?
What?
the xtian nationalist maga poster boy is mostly in danger of getting some painful blisters and a severe case of tennis elbow ...
It was the boobs. They offended him
wtf? I thought mike's wife was either a hooker, porn queen, or stripper before he saved her, but maybe I'm confusing her with melania or a trump cabinet member ...
Only when they touch the belly button
Johnson reminds me of a kid in my class from elementary school who would tattle to the teachers for imagined slights, would smugly smile at us when he could get any of us in trouble, was a serious underachiever in and out of class (his favorite sport was apple polishing) and who even the teachers didn't like. This kid even had no sense of humor, the same glasses and looked like Johnson.
I find the nude bicycle protests to be extremely funny and effective. Hope it catches on across the country just like the "no kings" protests have.
Also love the costume protests that the froggers are putting on! Wear a gas mask inside one of those suits and you're pretty much invulnerable from most of what those rent-a-cops can throw your way.
Ya gotta love how those Portlandians throw a protest!
same here, he was a preacher's kid that had swallowed the thumper fairy tale hook, line, and sinker. he spent most of every recess crying while standing in his tighty whiteys under a tree his pants were hanging in, which was probably brutal in the winter. the school janitor hated him. funny, but I don't remember anyone ever getting sent to the principal's office over it ...
Have always had too high of an empathy index to be a bully. Have always found a way to feel sorry for those assholes that others bullied no matter how justified.
Until now.
I would love to "pants" Trump and give him a fatal "wedgie" all while pulling every strand of his scraggly hair out of his stupid head and pissing on his back while he laid there crying!
Wow! I feel so much better after getting that out of my system.
his nonstop proselytizing on the playground during every recess would have changed your mind ...
Why do you think his folks shipped him off to military school? Trump was hurting (physically) little girls. Trump was literally throwing rocks at babies for the fun of it. The POS has never had a positive moral code and yet the fascist party makes the evil fool president.
Sad that far right wing fascists don't even care.
they'd torch the whole country, just to "own the libs" ...
As a centrist I have a hard time with extremists.
How do you feel about left wing extremists?
... you mean like our founders, the guys that declared our independence, drafted debated and signed our constitution, and were willing to kill the king's supporters in order to enforce it? those left wing extremists?
as an american, I have a hard time with fascists ... [..][✘]
.
It's getting really ugly out there!
Thinking her camera is getting the best angle...
That's an understatement, Nerm
This is an easy one. Johnson was mocking the people of Portland.
Thats ok. He gets mocked worse all the time than he is doing here, and more effectively.
Since they have no sense of humor, the easiest way to fluster fascists like Johnson and Trump is to make fun of them.
like their cult leader, they can't handle humiliation, especially after they figure out they've been humiliated ...
If so, isn’t he also mocking Trump and Noem? Trump says the place is on fire and doesn’t have stores anymore. Noem talks about the place like they invented terrorism there.
In his mind, he is mocking the belief by the people of Portland that they need to protest the Trump administration , but dont take that need seriously enough because their protest is a naked bike ride.
My sincere response is who cares?
When the time comes I'm sure Portland will mount a more "serious" protest.
Morning...they wouldn't want to do that here... it's Magpie swooping season and they could end up missing some of their appendages..🤣
Laughter at the administration is the best tool for displaying the idiocy of the participants in action. The whole administration is a farcical representation of what trying to become an autocracy looks like. Lie. Lie again. Lie some more. Repeat. What I find amazingly dumb is the people who try to defend what this administration is doing using the, "All administrations do that" without regard to the size and scope of the differences.