How the Rebel Loon became a symbol of resistance to ICE

Alicia Eler, The Minnesota Star Tribune on Mar 9, 2026

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MINNEAPOLIS — Take Minnesota’s state bird, the loon, combine it with the “Star Wars” Rebel Alliance symbol, and the Rebel Loon is born.

During Operation Metro Surge, Moorhead-based software engineer Bernardo Anderson felt inspired when he saw friends come together across the political spectrum.

“I kept thinking about how this is a big coalition or alliance or some kind of group, that we’re all banding together to fight this,” said the 42-year-old Anderson. “Then, I remember ‘Star Wars’' Rebel Alliance, where they’re from different worlds and yet they come together to fight for a common cause.”

Anderson anonymously released his Rebel Loon logo on Reddit on Jan. 19, Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Since then, it has spread across Minnesota in countless formats as a symbol of the resistance — and people in Hawaii, Michigan, Ohio and other states have adapted it, replacing the loon with their own state bird.

Even Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong sported a Rebel Loon sticker on his guitar during his Super Bowl LX performance. The symbol is meant to unite people under a common cause. Anderson released it with a Creative Commons Zero license, which allows anyone to use it and adapt it however they’d like.

The loon spoke to Anderson because of its mysterious nature.

“They’re uniquely Minnesotan — and they protect their own,” he said. “You gotta respect that.”

Noah Levine, 33, of Minneapolis made an LED sign based on St. Paul resident TJ Kuhlman’s variation of the Rebel Loon logo that includes the state’s North Star.

Levine sells the signs for $350 through his business, Twin Cities Glow Shop. He also has donated signs to Wrecktangle Pizza on Lyndale Avenue and Lake Street in Minneapolis, the Smitten Kitten, Arbeiter Brewing Co., Duck Duck Coffee among others.

“I feel like the idea of having a bat signal loon logo glowing out onto the street should signify that this is a good place, a safe place for people to go to,” Levine said.

He’s already delivered about 20 signs and is in the process of finishing another 50.

Matt Aggerbeck, 44, of Coon Rapids saw the Rebel Loon on Reddit shortly after it went live.

“It was awesome — we are big ‘Star Wars’ fans,” Aggerbeck said.

He got the Rebel Loon tattoo on his chest from Wick Tattoo in Blaine. His wife Sara got one, too, with a rainbow background that she said was for the LGBTQ community and Renee Good.

“For me, it was a lot about Minnesota pride,” said Sara Aggerbeck, 38. “We fought back and we were like no-no, you can’t do that here — and we stood our ground.”

She wanted to be out on the streets protesting, but health issues kept her at home.

“So, this was kind of just my way of protesting,” she said.

The Rebel Loon even got its own beer.

Drew Hurst, president and COO of Bauhaus Brew Labs, recently created a Rebel Loon beer, which is a double dry-hopped double IPA beer. A portion of sales will go to the Immigrant Defense Network.

Anderson thinks although the “Star Wars” connection is partly why people responded, it’s more than that.

“I always wanted to make it not against something but for something,” he said. “And being able to say like we’re in this together, we have each other’s backs, we watch out for each other.”