WASHINGTON — As crowds gather for the “No Kings” demonstrations this Saturday, a curious trend of inflatable costumes is making waves. But how did this quirky practice originate, and what’s the reasoning behind it?

Advocates believe these costumes help diffuse tension and capture attention without resorting to violence. The approach was initially adopted during Portland’s protests against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and has since spread across the nation.

Event organizers on a national scale have encouraged participants to bring humorous placards and don whimsical outfits, fostering a lighthearted atmosphere during the demonstrations.

“They want to provoke us into violence,” remarked Claudia Schultz, a protester clad in an inflatable pig suit, to the Miami Herald. “This couldn’t be further from violent.”

While playful protests are not entirely new, their popularity has surged recently as images of demonstrators dressed as frogs, chickens, and unicorns have gone viral online.

A video of an ICE agent pepper spraying a Portland protester’s inflatable frog costume air vent sparked outrage and prompted people to put on their suits and join in. 

“Operation Inflation” is the most recent organized form of protest against ICE and President Donald Trump’s administration. The goal is to “deflate the tension and inflate the good vibes,” according to the initiative website. 

While they are currently only operating for Portland, Oregon, protests, people are wearing inflatable costumes across the country Saturday.

Amazon listings for inflatable frog costumes have skyrocketed in recent weeks with one listing stating more than 800 have been bought in past month. 

“The greatest act of resistance in the face of darkness is radical joy,” Operation Inflation wrote in a social media post. 

The 50501 Movement orchestrated the “No Kings” theme, creating a national movement made up of everyday Americans who stand for democracy and against what they call the authoritarian actions of the Trump administration. The name 50501 stands for 50 states, 50 protests, one movement.

“America has no kings, and the power belongs to the people,” the group’s website says.

The theme likens Trump to the British monarchs the founders rebelled against to found the United States.

More than 2,600 rallies were planned for Saturday, organizers told the Associated Press.

The last “No Kings” protest took place on June 14 in thousands of cities and towns across the country, in large part to protest a military parade in Washington marking the Army’s 250th anniversary and coinciding with Trump’s birthday. “No Kings” organizers at the time called the parade a “coronation” symbolic of what they characterized as Trump’s growing authoritarian overreach.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.