the insurrection that spreads across the US as a symbol of civil resistance

Portland, Chicago, Washington, Charlotte… These cities have two things in common: they have suffered the deployment of troops from the Government of Donald Trump and su immigration offensive and, in response, in all of them a curious “pest” in the form of giant frogs.

In recent weeks, more and more people, dressed in inflatable costumes of these amphibians – as well as other animals – have become unexpected protagonists of the various demonstrations in the streets against the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Service (ICE) and the authoritarian drift of the republican.

A peaceful insurrection which, with the support of social networks, spreads throughout the country as symbol of civil resistancewith a goal as simple as it is effective: ridicule the rhetoric of Trump and the MAGA movement that seeks to criminalize anyone who opposes his policies.

The increasing presence of dancing frogs, peacocks, sharks and even unicorns In protests that pass without incident and in a playful atmosphere, they demolish statements such as those made by Trump – who dwrote Portland as “a devastated war zone”– or those of the president of the House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, calling the No Kings movement protesters in Washington the “pro-Hamas terrorist wing.”

The last appearance of these anthropomorphic protesters was last Sunday in Charlotte. North Carolina’s largest city has become the latest target of the Trump Administration immigration raids with the deployment of Border Patrol agents and the arrest of 200 immigrants.

In response to this operation, which began last Saturday, dozens of people demonstrated last Sunday in front of the Department of Homeland Security office, including a green frog and a unicorn. With arms linked, dancing in circles to the rhythm of Spanish music and rap in front of the federal police and attending to the different media, the two costumed protesters were the real stars of the protest.

Two days later, another frog, this time purple, appeared in front of the Capitol Washington, along with other protesters demanding the release of Jeffrey Epstein files before the vote in the House of Representatives the following day.

Portland, the origin

He use of costumesespecially frog, in the protests in the US has become an unstoppable trend that was born unexpectedly in Portland just a few weeks ago.

During a demonstration on October 2 in Portland (Oregon), a Mexican named Seth Todd, He was protesting in front of the ICE building wearing an inflatable frog costume.

Everything would have remained an anecdote and surely It would not have come to light if it were not for the brutal police response. against the 24-year-old young man captured by television cameras and later amplified on social networks. Various federal agentsThey sprayed him with pepper spray directly into the vent of his costume.

The image of the attack on Todd, who confessed exclusively to The Oregonian who felt the effect of the gas even though he had “eaten spicier tamales”, went around the world when it went viral on platforms like X or Instagram.

This attack on the ‘frog’ motivated other people to join the protests against ICE in Portland, wearing inflatable costumes of frogs and other animals such as sharks.

In recent weeks, Portland residents have also created groups like the Portland Frog Brigade, whose members wear inflatable frog costumes, and on forums and social networks.

Other groups like Movement 50501 and Operation Inflation They distribute free inflatable costumes to protesters, in addition to sharing logistical tips such as carrying extra batteries and promoting the use of colorful animals to increase visibility and media impact.​

Seth Todd thought it was “cool” that other people joined the anti-ICE demonstration, dressed as frogs, other animals and characters. In his interview with The Oregoniandeclared that in this way it “demonstrates that we are not violent. “We’re just here, having a good time, even though these… officers mistreat us almost daily.”

The response from the authorities has been ambivalent. While some denounced that the costumes “masked violent extremism,” the popular reaction was the opposite: the number of disguised participants grew, showing that the resource was more a tactic of protection and anonymity than a way to cover up illegalities.​

The frog, emblem against ICE

Urban artists and designers have joined this movement by painting murals, posters and t-shirts with images of frogs against authoritarian figures. Thus, the frog became even more an emblem of protest, generating media attention and generating new forms of sociopolitical expression.​

Las marcheswhere inflatable frogs led the contingents, were have spread to other cities such as Chicago and Washington DC. This expansion occurred thanks to the ease of replication and the inclusive nature: anyone can join, regardless of age, occupation or nationality, simply by putting on a costume.​

The use of this type of disguise also led to the creation of “guerrillas of humor”a strategy inspired by the British Tactical Frivolity movement, where playful protest reduces tension and revitalizes participation in contexts of repression. In addition to humor, the costume offered protection from tear gas and cameras, which gave an air of anonymity and collective solidarity.​

With this unstoppable trend spreading to more and more cities, these protesters see their inflatable costumes as a way to combat “absurdity with absurdity”a subversive response to Trump’s description of immigrants or cities like Portland as being “on fire” or “like living in hell.”