Costumed protesters in Portland challenge the city being a “war zone”
Frogs, peacocks, and unicorns dance outside the ICE federal building in Portland, displaying a peculiar form of protest
As the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) floods social media with “propaganda” videos and pro-Trump commentators flock to Portland and Chicago in search of a “rebellion” and a “war zone,” local residents are protesting the ICE raids… in animal costumes.
In Portland, adults in inflatable costumes representing a unicorn, a peacock, a dinosaur, and a raccoon danced to protest in front of the federal ICE building as the self-proclaimed “frog brigade” posed for photos and jumped in unison, The Oregonian reported.
A small group of counterprotesters nearby chanted, “We love you, ICE!”
The costume strategy appears to be working. The protesters have attracted international media attention in France, Australia, and England.
California Gov. Gavin Newson, a Democrat and frequent target of Trump’s verbal and online criticism, used the movement to mock the administration on social media.
“Portland is war-torn! Bring in the California National Guard!” he posted on X this week with a video of a unicorn, a raccoon, and a dinosaur dancing outside the immigration building.
The absurdity of adults dancing in inflatable costumes during anti-ICE demonstrations is meant to show community joy, protesters say, and helps dispel the Trump administration’s narrative that Portland is a crime-ridden “war zone” — a characterization local and state leaders say is false.
Participants and commentators say the tactic is deliberate. The costumes alter public perceptions. They make aggressive law enforcement responses seem even more disproportionate.
Portland has long been a little different in the way its residents protest.
Cyclists are planning a special edition of Portland’s famed “naked bike ride” that will pass by the ICE facility on Sunday, according to The New York Times.
Scenes of colorful animals dancing to pop music under the stern gaze of federal agents in riot gear are already shifting the national conversation surrounding the protests, which has been plagued by threats, assaults, and political violence.

