"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 torrent of chemical spray directly into the costume's air vent. Video of the incident on Oct. 2 has spread, and puffed-out costumes - hippos in tutus, Mr. Potato Heads, dinosaurs - have quickly become a feature of protests against President Donald Trump's administration, including the massive "No Kings" marches across the U.S. last weekend."
"For protesters like Todd, the costumes are a way of fighting absurdity with absurdity: a playful counter to Trump's portrayal of Portland as "war ravaged," "burning down" and "like living in hell." The Trump administration's efforts to deploy the National Guard there for the stated purpose of protecting federal property are still blocked by the courts for now. Portland's ICE building outside downtown has been the site of nightly protests that peaked in June when police declared one demonstration a riot."
A protester wearing an inflatable frog in Portland was sprayed with chemical agent through the costume's air vent, and video of the incident has circulated widely. Inflatable, puffed-out costumes — from hippos to dinosaurs — have proliferated at demonstrations and at nationwide "No Kings" marches. Protesters use the costumes to mock and counter portrayals of Portland as violent or lawless, while legal challenges have so far blocked a planned National Guard deployment. The Portland ICE building has been the focus of regular protests, some of which escalated in June, and federal officers have used tear gas at times.
Read at Fast Company
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