Rebel loon design quickly becoming popular request at Twin Cities tattoo parlors

A tattoo design inspired by Minnesota's state bird and the Rebel Alliance symbol from "Star Wars" is appearing on arms and legs across the Twin Cities, as some residents turn to art to express solidarity and community during a tense moment.

The image, known as the rebel loon, blends the outline of a loon with the familiar rebellion emblem. Sean McArdle, of St. Paul, said he first saw the design posted in the Twin Cities Geeks online community and watched it "spread like wildfire."

"I was having a very emotional day that day, and decided that I needed to do something to mark the moment," McArdle said.

Tattoo artists say the design resonated quickly. Jessica Haug, owner of Gothic Night, said she first encountered the symbol on social media.

"Oh my God, like, this is iconic. This is so inspiring. It got chills the first time I saw it," Haug said.

Haug said the loon carries particular meaning for Minnesotans.

"It is the loon, state bird of Minnesota. Loons are graceful, beautiful. They're also powerful," she said.

The creator of the design, who goes by the Reddit username "Feral_user," said the idea came together on Martin Luther King Jr. Day after seeing conversations online and thinking about how people from different backgrounds were coming together.

The creator said the concept reminded them of the Rebel Alliance in "Star Wars" — a group made up of people from across the galaxy fighting a powerful empire. They said the rebellion logo resembled the wings of a bird, making Minnesota's loon a natural fit.

After creating the design and refining it into a vector image, the creator posted it to Reddit, where it quickly gained traction. They said they released it under a Creative Commons, public-domain license to encourage others to use and adapt it freely.

"My hope for the logo was for people to be inspired by it and make it their own," the creator wrote.

McArdle said he has since seen the idea expand beyond Minnesota, with people in other states adapting the symbol using their own state birds.

"Watching all of these other people in other states starting to repeat it with their own state birds," McArdle said.

Over the weekend, Gothic Knight held a community fundraiser offering $50 tattoos, with all proceeds donated to Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC). Tattoo artist Fia Lopez said the event was not limited to the rebel loon design and included several loon-themed tattoos, along with other small, predesigned pieces.

Haug said the goal was to raise money while allowing as many people as possible to participate.

"We were expecting maybe, like, 30 people show up, and we had a turnout of over 150," Haug said.

Because of the turnout, the shop limited tattoos to small designs on arms and legs. Lopez said many people who were unable to get tattooed still donated and some clients gave more than the $50 cost.

By the end of the day, the fundraiser raised $6,268.

Lopez said the tattoos are not about following a trend.

"You don't commit to putting something on your skin forever if it's just to cosplay," Lopez said.

For McArdle, the symbol ultimately represents connection during a difficult moment.

"We have friends everywhere. We are not alone," he said.