Since the second series of “No Kings” protests against the Trump administration started on Oct.18, protesters wearing inflatable costumes have been a staple component, shining a more positive and silly light on the events.

Across the more than 2,700 official No Kings protests, many different animals have shown up to protest against the current administration. Examples from some protests in Colorado, courtesy of CPR News, include axolotls, racoons, dinosaurs, eagles and even Pikachu! 

The No Kings protests first began on June 14, the same day as President Donald Trump’s birthday and the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary parade. Their message, as described on the No Kings official website, is, “America has no kings, and the power belongs to the people.” The second round of protests began Oct. 18, and they resulted in astounding numbers of attendees. According to the website, more than seven million people showed up to the events across the U.S. and beyond. 

Out of all the fauna currently represented at the protests, there is one that has had a larger splash in the proverbial pond: the frog. On Oct. 2, in Portland, Ore., resident Seth Todd wore a now famous frog costume to a protest at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility and was shot with pepper spray in his costume’s air vent by an ICE officer. After the incident was recorded and posted to social media, more groups of protesters started wearing frog costumes, establishing the Portland Frog Brigade.

Portland locals had been protesting outside of their ICE facility for months. The protests grew in virality and popularity after two main events: an increase in ICE activity surrounding the facility, and President Trump’s authorization of 200 members of the Oregon National Guard being sent to Portland. 

According to OPB, Trump announced on social media that he was directing the Department of War (formerly the Department of Defense) to “provide all necessary Troops to protect War ravaged Portland.”

These kinds of comments inflating the issues in Portland have been common from the administration, especially with the White House publishing a news release on Sept. 30, with plenty of strongly worded comments such as, “The Radical Left’s reign of terror in Portland ends now, with President Donald J. Trump mobilizing federal resources to stop Antifa-led hellfire in its tracks.”

Inspired by the inflatable amphibians, Brooks Brown, another Portland local, established operation inflation. Operation Inflation states on their website that they are raising funds to buy inflatable costumes to hand out at the protests to “deflate tension and inflate good vibes.”

“This kind of silliness isn’t accidental,” Brown said in a video by CNN. “Research on protest culture shows humor has long been a strategic tool, something that can change perceptions, pull in bystanders, and challenge authority in ways anger sometimes can’t.”

Costumed protesters, both in the No Kings and ICE protests, have made a significant impact on the public view of these events. More protesters are showing up because of the more lighthearted aspect of the silly costumes. Essentially, the protests have been destigmatized, allowing the core message to be clear to those who might not tune in to these types of movements.