Naked protester flashes Portland police during BLM protests

A female protester in the US has put on a stark display in front of police as she sat with her legs apart, wearing just a mask and beanie.

As protests continue in the US over the death of George Floyd, one woman has gone viral after she put on a confronting display in front of police.

Footage of the woman, who remains unidentified, shows her wearing nothing but a mask and beanie as she sits on the ground with her legs apart.

In a video posted to Twitter, the naked protester from Portland, in the city of Oregon, was seen walking along the sidewalk on Friday night before laying down in the road, kicking up her feet and doing multiple yoga and ballet poses.

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A nude female protester put on a stark display in front of police during a BLM rally in Portland, Oregon in the US on Friday night. Picture: REUTERS/Nathan Howard

She laid naked on the road as she protested in front of Federal law enforcement officers. Pictures: Reuters/Nathan Howard

Officers were deployed under the Trump administration's new executive order to protect federal monuments and buildings during rallies. Picture: Donovan Farley/Twitter

Officers were standing across an intersection, facing a group of protesters before the naked woman appeared.

Freelance journalist for Vice, Donovan Farley, who captured the footage, said police didn’t know what to do when the woman, dubbed “Naked Athena”, posed nude in front of them.

“I … cannot believe what I just saw,” he wrote on Twitter.

Amazing. pic.twitter.com/HmP9r85SWV

— Donovan “It was the blurst of times” Farley 💻🐒 (@DonovanFarley) July 18, 2020

Iconic. This will be right up there in history of the pic of the guy with the tanks in Tiananmen Square

— CB Foley (@CBFoley) July 18, 2020

She is truth coming out of her well to chastise humanity personified. I believe she will be an icon of freedom.

— Zachary Whitsett 🆘 (@ZacharyWhitsett) July 19, 2020

What was her point to act like that it doesn’t make any sense, she just embarrassed her self and caused everyone make fun of her pooor thing

— Ariandna N (@arianna1032_ana) July 20, 2020

This naked white woman is mocking what the protests are supposed to be about. Her nakedness isn't going to bring about change or stop police brutality. It's a distraction away from the protests. It's her opportunity for 15 min. of fame. I just hope everyone there were all 18+.

— Illuminati Secrets Revealed (@Cordell_79) July 20, 2020

Dave Killen, a photographer for The Oregonian/Oregon Live, said everyone was astonished and surprised by the display, with photos and video he and Farley took quickly going viral.

“Now THAT is a woman right there. Beautiful, badass, majestic, strong and courageous,” one woman wrote online.

“This amazing woman … this amazing woman. Sisters, it’s time we take our power. Look at what happened. Just look,” said another, while a man added, “One naked woman confuses and repels a whole team of incels in riot gear.”

RELATED: Police ‘Bull Rush’ protesters at Portland rally

People protest during a demonstration in front of the Multnomah County Justice Center in Portland, Oregon, on July 17, 2020. Picture: Ankur Dholakia/AFP

Federal officers use tear gas and other crowd dispersal munitions on protesters during weekend rallies. Picture: Mason Trinca/Getty Images/AFP

Others were confused by her actions.

“I’m still not sure if we NEED to do this.....but okay you guys,” a man wrote.

“Not sure if this girl stands with BLM left wing or MAGA right wing but for her being ‘clothless’,” said another.

According to The Oregonian/Oregon Live, officers fired pepper balls at her feet before leaving about 10 minutes after she arrived.

“She won,” Farley wrote in a follow-up tweet.

Another protester can be seen in front of her with a makeshift shield, but she moves out of the way.

Portland Police bull rush protesters pic.twitter.com/rLsY7oEZ6v

— Sergio Olmos (@MrOlmos) July 18, 2020

The woman, who reportedly did not say a word the entire time, also left soon after police fired the pepper balls – without any additional fanfare.

“She was incredibly vulnerable,” Killen told the publication. “It would have been incredibly painful to be shot with any of those munitions with no clothes on.”

The woman’s stand-off took place during weekend demonstrations against anti-Black racism where protesters broke into a building, set it alight, and lit dumpster fires.

Police called the gathering ‘a riot’ and used tear gas to clear the downtown area. Picture: Mason Trinca/Getty Images/AFP

Police called the gathering “a riot” and used tear gas to clear the downtown area.

Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler has slammed the federal response and growing presence in the city, claiming they have done more harm than good.

There are “dozens if not hundreds of federal troops descending upon our city, and what they’re doing is they are sharply escalating the situation,” Mr Wheeler said.

“Their presence here is actually leading to more violence and more vandalism,” he told CNN’s Jake Tapper on State of the Union.

Demonstrations have been taking place since the May 25 killing of George Floyd.