See the third paragraph, or second picture caption. A group of people who want to start a race war.
TIL.
And when the race war starts, I’ll know who to shoot first.
That would only serve to compound the massive confusion
You’re conflating casual interest with enthusiast levels of interest though. Is the level of money they’re putting into their tactical costumes that different than what I’ve seen from die-hard tailgating sports fans? Or the groupie that follows their favorite band on tour? The incredibly decked out cosplayer going to a convention?
The only difference I can see is that their enthusiasm is for something I personally consider abhorrent. If not the actual aesthetic, then at least a lot of the associated ideology that tends to accompany it.
But the answer to the question about why they’d be into decking themselves out in all of that gear from their point of view is probably no different than any of those other examples. It’s their fandom.
I like how these types are all “…but the big, bad gummint made me wear a mask during the pandemic…wahhh!” and now these brave souls, so convinced in their Patriotism and being right in their convictions, feel the need to mask-up. Are they all of a sudden concerned about spreading germs to the other morons?
And, hey, while we’re at it, where are all those 2A types, with the whole “we need to arm ourselves to the teeth to protect our communities from gummint over-reach!” thing. I would have expected them to descend on Minneapolis in droves to help protect that community. Right? Right??
For the OP, perhaps infiltrating them and when they start misbehaving be the one to say “…hold on, we should not be doing that - not part of our training…” It’s not like the real ICE agents will know any better anyway.
<< Deleted because I think my suggestion is actually illegal…but it was a good one >>
Just a blanket reply here, because everyone’s pointed out the flaws in my idea. I’m thinking they would be forced to identify themselves if everyone dressed like them.
I don’t see how I could be accused of impersonating an officer if I don’t have a badge. No laws against wearing fake tough guy costumes that I know of.
I almost don’t see him as any different as Kash Patel or whoever trying to sell grenade soap. And when I see his content it never is anything I don’t already know.
What I think Piker is really good at tho is taking those people, who do think that stuff is cool, in to a more liberal world view. I think his content is a net positive for deprogramming manosphere types, and his content really shines when he talks to maga die hards. Or confused 15-25 somethings. He seems to speak to them in ways they understand enough that they aren’t completely dismissive immediately. Now has he completely changed people’s world views? Perhaps time will tell.
Oh come on. It’s racisum, bigotry. With a side helping is that they want to be a bully. They all started out as bullys, now they can do cos-play with guns and murder people.
Oh, don’t forget the misogyny.
I’m not convinced that a large number aren’t from the nameless rabble of victims.
You mean victims of bullys?
Yes. Maybe some Stockholm Syndrome going on there.
Uhh… I don’t think it’s that.
It could be bullys that are trying to fill there full potential.
It quite obviously is not that because there are plenty of people (bullies, racists, or whatever else you want to attribute to them) that are like that who don’t play dress up.
The question was “why do these guys think it’s cool to dress like that” not “why are they horrible people”.
OK, so some bullies have better fashion sense than others.
I assumed the ICE agents are made-up of all the RWNJs that previously were on the fringes - the likes of the idiots caught in that U-Haul in Idaho, the Gretchen Whitmer kidnappers, J6 pardonees, Proud Boys and that whole cohort, and other unemployed rabble called into service by the Project 2025 goals.
If I was in the USA, I would be right there. With a neon pink bulletproof jacket to match my camp camp leggings.
Oh, and one of those pink AR-15s you can buy in gun shops, “to encourage women” to buy guns. Bonus points is it has a “Hello Kitty” theme.
Yes, sadly for humanity, you can buy a pink, “Hello Kitty” branded AR-15…
Justified mass arrest of protesters for impersonating Federal officers, giving Trump the excuse he needs to sweep in full-force and take over.
Brilliant. 
I would suspect there a lot of those douchebags in the employment of ICE. Now they get to be paid to wear their cosplay outfits and actually kill people! WIN-WIN!