The disturbing federal crackdown happening against Black Lives Matter protesters in Portland, Oregon, may seem like an obscure, far-away problem for some Americans right now. But Trevor Noah broke down on Tuesday night why everyone should be worried.
“Portland has now seen more than 50 straight days of Black Lives Matter protests,” the Daily Show host said. “But over the last few days, something new has been happening, with more and more protesters facing off against heavily armed law enforcement in some very dramatic ways.”
Those “dramatic” face-offs included the one with the woman known as “Naked Athena,” who was able to drive riot cops back wearing nothing but a face mask and a beanie. “Protesting naked? Now that’s bravery,” Noah said. “Although are we sure being naked is part of her protest? I mean, she could just be one of those people who have spent so long in lockdown that they forget they need to wear clothes when they leave the house.”
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But far more unnerving are the actions of unidentified federal troops sent into the city by the Trump administration who have been seen snatching protesters off the street and throwing them in unmarked vans.
“Man, that sounds less like democracy and more like an episode of Narcos,” the host said. “Unidentified soldiers throwing protesters into an unmarked van on the streets of Portland? I don’t care who you are, nothing good has ever come from an unmarked van.”
“And how are people even supposed to tell the difference between being arrested and being kidnapped?” he asked, especially when so many random Americans are doing “Army-man cosplay” on a regular basis. The “only solution,” as far as Noah could see it, is everyone dressing up in camo gear. “That way, when they come to arrest you and throw you in their van, you can be like, ‘No, I’m arresting you and throwing you in my van!’”
For anyone “sitting at home wondering, ‘Eh, why should I care about this, man? I’m not even a hipster!” Noah had a warning. Trump has now threatened to send these secret police forces to cities all over the country. “So you might want to get naked and call your mom,” he said, “because shit’s about to go down.”
For more, listen to Daily Show correspondent Dulcé Sloan on The Last Laugh podcast.
