News Writer Carly Cannarozzo reports on Portland’s unconventional form of resistance against ICE
What is actually going on in Portland?
On fire, violent, war-torn: all words President Trump has used to describe the notoriously peaceful, ‘hippie’ city of Portland, Oregon. As ICE continues to carry out its questionably constitutional raids at the president’s demand, Portland has made it clear they won’t be rolling over and allowing ICE to arrest people in their city without a fight — or perhaps an inflatable frog suit.
Protests have been underway for months, stemming from the city’s participation in the No Kings protest on June 4th, 2025. But it wasn’t until a few weeks ago that Trump declared the demonstrations so violent that he found it necessary to deploy the National Guard. So, is it true?
Dubbed Operation Inflation, the movement aims to counter accusations of violence with humour
Is Portland — a city known for peace-loving tree huggers and artisanal coffee shops — really on fire?
From the president’s perspective, the city is being torn apart by gangs and violence: ‘In Portland, Oregon, antifa thugs have repeatedly attacked our offices and laid siege to federal property in an attempt to violently stop the execution of federal law.’
Yet reports surveying local arrests, protest summaries, and more than seven hundred videos of footage show that while there were indeed clashes between protesters and law enforcement, it’s far from the war-torn scene Trump describes.
As of now, a federal judge has blocked Trump’s order to send in the National Guard, stating that ‘his administration had not proven that the protests can be fairly characterized as a rebellion, a risk of rebellion, or an ongoing lack of order that prevents government officials from carrying out their duties.’
As ICE raids continue across the country, this form of fighting violence with silliness is spreading — with Portland still at the heart of the movement
Still, protests continue — and some are even taking on a surprising new tactic: inflatable animal costumes.
Dubbed Operation Inflation, the movement aims to counter accusations of violence with humour. The protest’s origin is credited to activist Seth Todd, who appeared in a TikTok video that amassed over two million views.
In the clip, a police officer sprays pepper spray into the air vents of Todd’s inflatable costume — a moment that underscored the absurd level of force being used by law enforcement against demonstrators. In a statement, Todd said his intention was to challenge the ‘violent extremists’ narrative and ‘make the president and the feds look dumb.’
As ICE raids continue across the country, this form of fighting violence with silliness is spreading — with Portland still at the heart of the movement. What began as a defiant act of humour has evolved into a symbol of resistance: a reminder that protest doesn’t always have to look like rage to be powerful.
For now, the city once mocked as ‘on fire’ stands unburned — its people instead choosing laughter and creativity to show their solidarity with the cause.
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