Portland, Ore.– PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Seth Todd was wearing an inflatable frog costume while protesting outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in Portland, Oregon, when a federal officer unleashed a stream of chemical spray directly into the costume’s air vent.
A video of the incident that occurred on October 2 went viral Puffy fashion – Hippos in tutus, Mr. Potato Heads, and dinosaurs – have quickly become a feature of protests against President Donald Trump’s administration, including massive protests “No Kings” marches. All over the United States last weekend.
Todd, 24, said that despite the huge attention he has received, he is “honored to be an inspiration for a movement like this.”
“It helps to … combat that particular narrative that we’re violent and we’re inciting,” he said.
For protesters like Todd, the costumes are a way to fight absurdity with absurdity: a playful counter to Trump’s depiction of Portland as “ravaged by war,” “burning,” and “like living in hell.”
Trump administration efforts Deployment of the National Guard There for the stated purpose of protecting federal property remains blocked by the courts for now.
Portland’s ICE building outside downtown was the location Night protests This culminated in June when police declared one demonstration a riot. Smaller clashes have also occurred since then, and federal officers have fired tear gas to keep away crowds, which at times included counter-protesters and live broadcasters.
Nightly protesters, who often numbered only a few dozen in the weeks before Trump called in the Revolutionary Guard, used megaphones to shout obscenities. They also sought to prevent vehicles from entering and exiting the facility. Federal officials say they have hampered law enforcement operations.
The inflatable costumes are a testament to the city’s bizarre protest culture — which has also recently included one Naked bike ride — and its unofficial slogan is “Keep Portland Weird.”
“Portland has always prided itself on this spirit of protest,” said Mark Rodriguez, a history professor at Portland State University and an expert on social justice movements.
He added that the costumes are very popular on social media, as they show protesters as non-violent.
Some groups began distributing costumes to encourage more demonstrators to wear them. And in Austin, Texas, college student Natalie McCabe received a free inflatable bald eagle costume. At the recent No Kings march, she walked out with a unicorn and a frog.
“Seeing people happy and having a good time and doing something different, like a distraction, that’s how it should be,” she said.
At the No Kings rally in Chicago, Kristin Vandawwalker dressed up as an inflatable “Pegacorn” — part pegasus, part unicorn — and posed for photos with the city’s Trump Tower in the background, while bubbles floated from a bubble machine.
“I think everyone just got the memo after Portland that this is something we can do, and it’s something the right doesn’t know what to do with,” said VanDawwalker, political action director for Indivisible Chicago Northwest. “Sure, like ICE agents, they don’t seem to know what to do with people in costumes. It’s hard to look threatening when there’s a fan blowing you off.”
The Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement did not immediately respond to an email request for comment on inflatable costumes at protests.
In recent weeks, Portlanders have launched groups like the Portland Frog Brigade, whose members wear inflatable frog costumes, and Operation Inflate, which distributes inflatable costumes to protesters for free.
On Tuesday, Operation Inflation founders Brooks Brown and Jordi LeBeck dropped off about 10 costumes — including mushrooms, Frankenstein and pandas — outside the ICE building in Portland. They put some of them on the fashion rack and helped the demonstrators wear them.
Brown said the group has seen an influx of donations and plans to expand to other American cities.
“It feels really light-hearted, and we feel like we’re showing these guys that we’re not afraid of them,” said protester Brianna Nathanielsz, who chose one of the Frankenstein costumes. “We will continue to have fun and keep Portland weird and safe.” ___
Mathis reported from Nashville, Tennessee.