Anti-ICE protests have been emerging all over the country, pulling in crowds and stirring up debate about immigration enforcement. But in Ohio, something odd happened at one of these rallies. It wasn’t just what people were saying that caught everyone’s eye, but the way it all looked.
Videos started making the rounds online, showing a tiny group of pro-ICE counter-protesters standing across the street from the main demonstration in Columbia, Ohio. We are talking maybe four or five guys, holding signs and trying to get the attention of the anti-ICE crowd. While they pushed the usual right-wing, pro-deportation talking points, nobody could stop staring at what they wore.
Instead of the usual protest gear, these men showed up in outfits that looked straight out of a Renaissance fair or maybe a fantasy movie. Capes, armor-like vests, strange accessories, and more. People couldn’t help but laugh at the odd mix of medieval cosplay and political protest. It felt more like a scene from a costume party than a heated political standoff.
Even though hardly anyone showed up, the counter-protest exploded online once the videos went viral. People on social media tore into them, mostly for how they looked. How do you push for tough immigration crackdowns while dressed like that? The person recording the video summed it up, saying, “This is who wants people deported? Your fellow Dungeons and Dragons masters would be disappointed.”
Online, almost nobody really cared about what they stood for. The internet couldn’t get past the costumes. Instead of taking their message seriously, people turned it into a joke. Some pointed out how weird it is to demand deportations while looking totally out of touch with the reality of what you are asking for.
Internet Reacts to Bizarre Pro-ICE Protest in Ohio
One Reddit user commented, “Make the Dark Ages Great Again.”
Another user sarcastically noted, “His wardrobe matches his social views.”
A user pointed out, “These two are likely Ohio Renaissance Festival patrons. Not very many people would have that full helmet like that guy on the left.”
A user mentioned, “What in the Monty Python is going on here?!”
A user cheekily asked, “Were they dressed up as Stormtroopers?”
One funny comment read, “Can someone explain to me what I’m watching?”
“An afternoon at Medieval Times, obviously!” said another user.
The scene became an example of how protests now live or die by how they look online. This time, it just took a handful of guys in odd outfits standing by the road to become a viral punchline.
