Portland, OR — A group of protesters in inflatable costumes — including a unicorn, peacock, dinosaur, and raccoon — gathered outside the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) building Thursday night to protest federal presence in the city. The playful demonstrations coincided with ongoing debates over President Trump’s mass deportation efforts and deployment of more than 200 National Guard troops to Portland.
Across the street, the self-styled frog brigade — three adults in inflatable amphibian costumes — posed for photos and bounced in unison, while counterprotesters shouted support for ICE. The antics, protesters say, are intended to display community joy and counter the administration’s depiction of Portland as a “war zone.”
Operation Inflation and Costume Strategy
Brooks Brown, a Vancouver, Washington resident, explained the rationale behind Operation Inflation, a movement distributing inflatable costumes to protesters.
“If you’re going to make it silly and say that we’re evil, we’re going to make it silly by showing how evil you are,” Brown said, handing out 30 inflatable costumes to anyone who wanted to participate.
The costumes also serve a practical purpose, according to protesters, providing protection against tear gas and other toxins deployed by federal agents.
Protester Jack Dickinson, known locally as the Chicken Man, first donned his costume during a Trump military parade in Washington, D.C., in June. He said the costumes counter the show of force with farce and have grown in significance as federalized forces respond to Portland demonstrations.
“This is an unacceptable betrayal of the American democracy,” Dickinson said. “ICE is kind of the perfect example of the cruelty with which they are implementing their agenda, and it’s just not something we can sit by and let happen.”
Public Response and Media Attention
The whimsical protests have attracted international media coverage, including outlets in France, Australia, and England. California Governor Gavin Newsom even used footage of the dancing unicorns and raccoons to mock the administration on social media.
Despite the playful nature of the protests, the Trump administration maintains that demonstrators have been violent, citing incidents where rocks were thrown, fires were lit, and federal property was damaged.
“The president is entitled to say enough is enough and bring in the National Guard to reinforce the regular forces,” Department of Justice attorney Eric McArthur said during a federal appeals court hearing.
Federal officials cited a three-week closure of the ICE building from mid-June to early July due to damage, though protesters dispute the narrative and emphasize the use of chemical irritants affecting the neighborhood.
Community Participation
Demonstrators turned Thursday night into a kind of night circus, as volunteers donned inflatable costumes and passed out pizza to attendees. Residents, including Joy Wilson, participated in the protests to highlight nonviolent resistance.
“People sometimes wonder, ‘What can I do’ to protest. This makes it so accessible,” Wilson said, dressed as Tigger from Winnie the Pooh.
Her husband, Kevin, helped distribute costumes, selecting a range of animals from unicorns to lobsters, while their teenage daughter handed out pizza to other participants.
As the protests continue, demonstrators say the inflatable costume strategy is both a tool of humor and a symbol of nonviolent resistance, providing a way to engage the community while maintaining safety amid the ongoing federal presence.
The story of Portland’s dancing costumes was reported by NBC News.
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