Why is the porcupine the libertarian party symbol?

The Statue of Liberty is the official symbol of the Libertarian Party, but the porcupine is used to represent Libertarianism because it is a defensive animal that doesn't harm anyone who leaves it alone. For this reason, many libertarian groups and publications, including the Free State Project, use the porcupine for a mascot.

The libertarian porcupine icon designed by Kevin Breen in 2005 mimics the Republican Elephant and Democratic Donkey. It has since been used to represent many local libertarian groups, and it has been included on major libertarian publications.

Another unofficial mascot, the Libertarian Penguin, was designed in 1994 by Ann Carson.