Supplies of bulletproof vests run out in protest-hit Portland

Retailers say demand has been high since anti-racism protests began while production has been affected by pandemic

Police confront protesters in Portland, Oregon on November 4, 2020 during a demonstration called by the Black Lives Matter movement. AFP

Demand for bulletproof vests that specifically protect against rifles and other long guns is so high in the city of Portland that ammunition and military supply retailers say they have sold out.
The plate carrier vests, which are vests that hold steel, polyethylene or ceramic plates, offer a higher level of protection against bullets than in-built protection vests, such as the Kevlar brand. Although the in-built protection vests and the plate carrier vests are available in stores, the actual plates themselves are sold out.
"I don't think we'd be able to get any from our suppliers until at least the end of November," says John, an employee at Aloha Surplus, a store in Beaverton, just outside of Portland.

"People started stocking up on these types of vests when coronavirus hit, because they thought it was the end of the world. But then all these protests happened, and even more people started buying them. And now we've completely run out."

Of the four military surplus stores surrounding Portland that The National spoke to, all carried the plate vests but none had them in stock.
John, who did not want to disclose his surname, added that a lot of protesters had come in to buy the vests, fearing shots not from right-wing opposition, but from police.

Supply issues had already emerged earlier this year as a result an increase in demand and coronavirus-related production difficulties.
"The current coronavirus pandemic has both [caused] large increases in demand for body armour and protective gear while also causing shortages for resources such as raw materials as well as limiting manpower in certain cases with suspended manufacturing and shipping facilities," Bulletproof Zone, a body armor manufacturer, said in a statement.
Sales of bulletproof vests skyrocketed during the height of the pandemic, and spiked again due to civil unrest, according to Todd Meeks, president of Spartan Armor Systems.
"On May 29 we saw another huge bump in sales because of the protest and civil unrest right now," Mr Meeks told Body Armor News.

A large number of protesters in Portland who have been demonstrating over the past few nights have worn body protection.
"I wear a vest because I don't trust the cops," said Ciara, a 25-year-old who has been marching in Portland with the Black Lives Matter group. "They're violent, they're not afraid to use force against us. I don't wear the vest because of the right-wing militia, although they're pretty scary too. But this, this is for the cops."

An individual who only wished to be known by the initial "G" spoke to The National during a protest on Thursday evening about his difficulty in trying to find a vest.

"I was looking for a metal plate vest because I know they're better protection, especially here where a lot of people carry long guns. But all I could find were the Kevlar-style vests, so that's what I bought."

He said he definitely did not feel "as safe" but that it was "better than nothing".

"It's for our confrontation with the cops," he explained. "Rather than against anyone else."