This is as funny as a “Portlandia” sketch.
For the past couple of days, social media platforms have featured a steady trickle of videos and images of protesters in Portland, Oregon, who are rallying against President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown through the peaceful and playful tactic of wearing inflatable animal costumes and dancing to music in the streets.
A demonstrator wearing a frog costume stands outside a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility on Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025, in Portland, Oregon.
After Trump claimed that Portland is “war-ravaged” — and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem threatened to “send four times the amount of federal officers” currently in the city — social media users have used recent footage from demonstrations near a local Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility to mock the claim.
“Let’s check in on the war zone in Portland,” one post on X reads alongside a heavily shared video of a dinosaur, unicorn, raccoon and bear dancing to Farruko’s hit “Pepas.”
The video seems to have been shot this week, per one TikTok, and according to some road signs featured in the video, it also appears it was shot close to an ICE detention center.
Courtney Vaughn, an editor at the Portland Mercury, also posted similar videos to Bluesky Tuesday, which feature the unicorn, bear and raccoon dancing together to another song.
“Streets are still closed off in front of the Portland ICE facility at 8:30pm,” Vaughn captioned her video. “Protesters have gathered on a side street. Dance party in progress.”
Portland Police officers stand watch as protesters demonstrate near an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in downtown Portland, Oregon, on Oct. 6, 2025.
MATHIEU LEWIS-ROLLAND via Getty Images
Local officials have also responded to Trump’s over-the-top claims that Portland is out of control, with the city’s police chief recently telling CNN that protests were confined to just “one city block.”
On Wednesday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s press office posted a video to X with text that reads: “‘War-ravaged’ Portland Oct. 6, 2025.” The video features footage of a frog, a unicorn, a capybara and Barney the dinosaur with audio of Trump talking about the “destruction” of Portland.
“WE FOUND THE PORTLAND WAR ZONE PETE !!” read the video’s caption, referring to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who submitted a memo to a court that said up to 400 Texas National Guard personnel were being activated for deployment to Oregon and other parts of the country.
People relax on a street outside a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility on Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025, in Portland.
Journalist Don Lemon also posted footage of people in Portland dancing in inflatable costumes to TikTok, writing in the caption: “Something tells me Portland isn’t quite the war-ravaged place Trump says it is…”
More people on X shared their two cents about the out-of-control whimsy.
“This is EXACTLY how we defeat the brutality of ICE, Stephen Miller, and the Trump administration,” one X user wrote. “Don’t get into fights with law enforcement and DON’T block ICE vehicles!!! Just make them look stupid.”
“I don’t know; the rainbow unicorn looks pretty violent,” another user joked.
The people of Portland can be very proud of how they’re handling this disgusting invasion of our nation’s cities by Trump and his sycophants.
— Judith Olson (@kk1412Judith) October 9, 2025
This is how we all have to do it – protests filled with humor, dance and joy. It will be MUCH harder for them to make their “violent Antifa” bullshit to stick.
— 🌊Cyndia BLUE “Unstable Genius” (@malinablue) October 9, 2025
I love how ridiculous this is. Never change, Portland.
— avis prede 🌻🕊️ (@iheartospreys) October 8, 2025
“My Dearest Sarah, provisions run low. The almond flour dwindles, and morale wanes. We have not seen a vegan food truck in days. The men speak longingly of brunch, yet there is not one avocado to be found. My longing for you makes my oat milk cortado nearly undrinkable.” pic.twitter.com/hq6zegwtB0
— Meacham (@MeachamDr) October 8, 2025
Don’tBuyTheir Lies
Your SupportFuelsOur Mission
Your SupportFuelsOur Mission
Shine a Light with Us
As the current administration celebrates the shutdown as an opportunity to advance their agenda, no one is there to hold them accountable, but we are. Our reporting ensures truth stays in focus. Join us today.
We remain committed to providing you with the unflinching, fact-based journalism everyone deserves.
Thank you again for your support along the way. We’re truly grateful for readers like you! Your initial support helped get us here and bolstered our newsroom, which kept us strong during uncertain times. Now as we continue, we need your help more than ever. We hope you will join us once again.
We remain committed to providing you with the unflinching, fact-based journalism everyone deserves.
Thank you again for your support along the way. We’re truly grateful for readers like you! Your initial support helped get us here and bolstered our newsroom, which kept us strong during uncertain times. Now as we continue, we need your help more than ever. We hope you will join us once again.
Already contributed? Log in to hide these messages.