‘NOTORIOUSLY NAKED’

Portland’s Naked Athena Protester Says She Wanted Cops ‘to See What They’re Shooting At’

The woman received national attention after confronting riot cops in the nude.

The woman who was dubbed “Naked Athena” after facing down federal and local Portland authorities in the nude has spoken out for the first time, saying she wanted cops to “see what they’re shooting at.” The woman identified herself only as Jen when speaking to the Portland-based podcast Unrefined Sophisticates. According to Willamette Week, she described herself as “notoriously naked” and revealed that she’s a sex worker in her thirties. Recalling the night of her now-famous photo, she said she kept on her mask and hat “because it was cold,” and said of her new nickname: “I didn’t give myself that name... [but] it’s catchy.” Jen said her protest was “really calm and terrifying at the same time,” adding that it was “like being in the eye of the storm.” She said her message, “other than my feminine response of wanting to show them what my version of vulnerability looks like,” was that: “These protesters... the only thing we have in common is we have masks on and we’re out here at night. None of these people have weapons. Empty their pockets, take off their clothes—nobody has weapons here... I just wanted them to see what they’re shooting at.”