How inflatable costumes ballooned at anti-Trump rallies due to a Portland protester's frog outfit

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 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.

Todd, 24, said that while the attention has been overwhelming, he is nonetheless “honored to have inspired a movement like this.”

“It’s helping to … combat that specific narrative that we are violent and we are agitating,” he said.

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. Smaller clashes have also occurred since then, and federal officers have fired tear gas to clear crowds, which at times have included counterprotesters and live-streamers.

Nighttime protesters, frequently numbering just a couple dozen in the weeks before Trump called up the Guard, have used bullhorns to shout obscenities. They have also sought to block vehicles from entering and leaving the facility. Federal officials argue that they have impeded law enforcement operations.

The inflatable costumes are a testament to the city’s quirky protest culture — which also recently included a naked bike ride — and its unofficial motto, “Keep Portland Weird.”

“Portland has always prided itself on this spirit of protest,” said Marc Rodriguez, a Portland State University professor of history and expert in social justice movements.

The costumes also play well on social media, showing the protesters as nonviolent, he added.

Some groups have started giving out the costumes to encourage more demonstrators to wear them. In Austin, Texas, college student Natalie McCabe got a free inflatable bald eagle costume. At the recent No Kings rally, she hung out with a unicorn and a frog.

“Seeing people happy and having a good time and doing something different, like a distraction, it’s just how it should be,” she said.

At the No Kings march in Chicago, Kristen Vandawalker dressed up as an inflatable “pegacorn” — part Pegasus, part unicorn — and posed for photos with the city’s Trump tower in the background, as bubbles from a bubble machine floated by.

“I think everybody just got the memo after Portland that this is something that we can do, and it’s something that the right doesn’t know what to make of,” said Vandawalker, the political action director for Indivisible Chicago Northwest Side. “Certainly, like the ICE agents don’t seem to know what to make of people in costumes. It’s hard to look threatening when there’s a fan blowing you up.”

Tricia McLaughlin, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, in an e-mailed statement described the costumes as “a bizarre effort to obstruct ICE law enforcement,” adding that “these unsightly tactics won’t stop or slow us down.”

In recent weeks, Portland residents have launched groups such as the Portland Frog Brigade, whose members sport inflatable frog costumes, and Operation Inflation, which hands out inflatable costumes to protesters for free.

On Tuesday, Operation Inflation co-founders Brooks Brown and Jordy Lybeck dropped off about 10 costumes — among them a mushroom, Frankenstein and panda — outside Portland’s ICE building. They placed some on a costume rack and helped demonstrators put them on.

The group has seen donations pour in and plans to expand to other U.S. cities, Brown said.

Mattise reported from Nashville, Tennessee.

Brooks Brown, Operation Inflation co-founder, left, helps a demonstrator put on an inflatable costume outside a United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility on Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane)

Law enforcement officers watch from a ledge of a United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility as a protester stands outside in an inflatable frog costume on Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane)

Teresa Clark, 51, of Palm Harbor wears a frog costume during a "No Kings" protest Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025 in Clearwater, Fla. (Chris Urso/Tampa Bay Times via AP)

A protester wearing an inflatable frog costume and waving an American flag takes part in a "No Kings" protest Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)

Seth Todd, who was in a frog costume when chemical spray was used on the costume outside a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Portland, Ore., gathers with others during a "No Kings" protest in Portland, Ore., on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane)

A person paints a portrait of a demonstrator dressed in an inflatable costume outside a United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility on Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane)

NISEKO, Japan--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan 16, 2026--

Nikko Style Niseko HANAZONO celebrated its first anniversary on December 15, 2025, and to commemorate this milestone, the hotel is pleased to introduce a special “Thank You Anniversary Stay” accommodation plan. Available for small groups of guests staying three nights between January 7 and March 8, 2026, the all-inclusive premium accommodation plan incorporates transportation, dining, guided tours and other special events to create one seamless experience. As an expression of the hotel’s gratitude for its guests’ continued patronage, the plan is being offered at a special rate of JPY 3.9 million, the pronunciation of “3.9” in Japanese being similar to the English “thank you.”

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260115976293/en/

The “Thank You Anniversary Stay” plan offers guests an unparalleled way to experience some of the world’s finest snow and the unique allure of Hokkaido’s Niseko, one of Japan’s premier winter sports resorts, in the most indulgent manner. Available exclusively during the winter season and limited to a single party for the entire stay, it will deliver a truly exceptional Niseko winter experience.

The plan includes a three-night stay across two adjoining accommodations: the hotel’s largest suite, the imposing Nikko Style Suite, and the neighboring Premium Studio Suite View. Connecting both suites is a private 66-square-meter rooftop lounge, featuring floor-to-ceiling windows that offer sweeping views of the pristine slopes of Niseko HANAZONO Resort. Each suite has one bedroom, and the plan will be available for groups of up to 7 adults. Surrounded by majestic nature and a sense of serene seclusion, guests will be invited to fully immerse themselves in the beauty of Niseko’s winter landscape.

As part of the all-inclusive offering, the plan provides round-trip airport transfers, transportation between nearby locations, and the exclusive use of a private luxury vehicle with a dedicated driver, allowing guests to travel freely throughout the Kutchan, Hirafu, and greater Niseko areas.

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Guided by the Nikko Style brand promise, “Your Stay, Your Style,” Nikko Style Niseko HANAZONO has consistently sought to create stays that resonate with the individuality and sensibilities of each guest. The “Thank You Anniversary Stay” plan has been thoughtfully crafted as an extension of that promise, and will offer guests a truly immersive way to experience the essence of winter in Niseko.

For details of the package, please visit https://nisekohanazono.nikkostyle.jp/en/offers/39anniversarystay/

About Nikko Style Niseko HANAZONO

Opened in December 2024, Nikko Style Niseko HANAZONO is the second hotel in Japan under the Nikko Style brand. With the message “Your Stay, Your Style,” it offers a variety of experiences that engage all five senses and encourage guests to enjoy their stay in complete freedom. The hotel faces the Niseko HANAZONO Resort, which offers winter sports enthusiasts a wide range of activities. The property features 234 guest rooms, along with a full range of facilities including restaurants, natural hot springs, a gym, a club lounge, a DJ booth, and banquet spaces. In November 2025, the hotel was honored with the “World’s Best New Ski Hotel” award at the World Ski Awards.

For more details, please visit nisekohanazono.nikkostyle.jp/en.

Nikko Style Suite Roof Top Lounge