The mothers on the front line of Colombia’s mass protests

Madres de Primera Linea put their own bodies between police and protesters to prevent escalations of violence in Bogota.

Bogota, Colombia – The “madres” arrive before evening falls. Wearing construction helmets and bandanas over their faces, and clutching makeshift plywood shields, they join a boisterous crowd of protesters at Portal de Las Americas, a bus station in southwest Bogota and one of the epicentres of Colombia’s ongoing national strike. The women, who have dubbed themselves Madres de Primera Linea (Mothers on the Front Line), are here to put their own bodies between police and protesters – and prevent escalations of violence.