When the going gets weird, the weird turn chicken. Dr. Gonzo himself on his wildest mescaline binge never foresaw the menagerie that has materialized on the South Waterfront, a Noah’s ark of inflatable animals prancing outside a federal immigration compound. The puncturing of Homeland Security seriousness seems to have shifted the national perception of Portland protesting—maybe a few boomers remember Abbie Hoffman after all these years. On Oct. 8, WW staff writer Rachel Saslow interviewed Jack Dickinson, who regularly visits U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement offices dressed as the Portland Chicken (see page 7). Here’s what our readers had to say:
Rory Flynn, via Bluesky: “The other day, this chicken stared upward at Kristi Noem and did not burst into flames. There is hope for the Republic.”
Corran22, via Reddit: “ICE Barbie: Portland Chicken is uneducated and ill informed…