Last week, a Portland protestor named Seth Todd showed up at the ICE protests in the Oregon city dressed up in an inflatable frog costume. Footage of armed soldiers backing up as the protester confidently walked toward them went viral on social media, along with a video of an agent spraying pepper spray into the costume’s air filter. President Donald Trump has been trying to paint a grim picture of the protests, saying the city has become “war-ravaged,” but seeing a protestor dressed in a frog costume tells another story. Now, the frog costume has inspired dozens of other Portland citizens to dress up as animals as they continue to fight against ICE and America’s continued descent into fascism.
The Oregonian, a local outlet in Portland, interviewed several protesters last night, October 9, who came to the ICE facility dressed up as frogs in an act of solidarity.
OMG LMAO there is now a Portland Frog Brigade outside of the ICE facility pic.twitter.com/0jCvc6SXnc
— Wu Tang is for the Children (@WUTangKids) October 10, 2025
“The frog has become a symbol of what’s going on down here,” one costume-wearing protestor told The Oregonian. “[We’re here to protest] the insane government overreach that’s going on in this place and the fact that they’re calling Portland an ‘explosive fire-ridden warland.’ Which it’s not, because we’re here.”
While some protesters are showing up in frog costumes as a direct homage to the original, many Portland residents are simply dressing up in whatever inflatable costumes they can find. The Oregonian’s video shows people dressed as a shark, bear, peacock, and a dinosaur. The outlet reports that the armed federal officers “retreated” without interacting with the costume party outside.
The Portland ICE protests have been ongoing since June, and while the Trump administration would have you believe that Portland citizens have become violent and dangerous, videos keep popping up showing that the people aren’t the ones instigating any violence. Instead, they show things like costumed protesters doing a dance battle.
The videos and photos of Seth Todd’s original appearance as the frog at a protest have spawned art, with supporters calling the character a new symbol in the fight against ICE and American fascism.
Shout out to the Portland frog pic.twitter.com/fhkimqH3bY
— Not Krime (@NotKrime_1) October 9, 2025
“𝐏𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐠 vs ”
I stand with frog dude…also, tell me why they pepper sprayed his air hole???
how is any of this real life???????Stay strong #Portland pic.twitter.com/EDoAmcUVaq
— NIKKOLAS SMITH (@4NIKKOLAS) October 7, 2025
Todd has said in follow-up interviews that the pepper spray, while “immature” and “unnecessary” on the agent’s part, only gave him a brief coughing fit and discomfort.
