🔗 Share this article

This resistance isn't broadcast, but it could have amphibious toes and protruding eyes.

Furthermore, it may involve a unicorn's horn or the plumage of a chicken.

As rallies opposing the government persist in American cities, demonstrators are adopting the vibe of a local block party. They have taught dance instruction, handed out snacks, and ridden unicycles, while armed law enforcement watch.

Mixing levity and politics – a tactic experts term "tactical frivolity" – has historical precedent. But it has become a signature characteristic of US demonstrations in recent years, adopted by all sides of the political spectrum.

And one symbol has emerged as notably significant – the frog. It originated when video footage of an encounter between a man in an inflatable frog and immigration enforcement agents in Portland, Oregon, became an internet sensation. From there, it proliferated to protests across the country.

"A great deal happening with that small frog costume," notes an expert, who teaches at University of California, Davis and an academic who specialises in performance art.

From Pepe to Portland

It's hard to talk about protests and frogs without mentioning Pepe, a web comic frog co-opted by online communities throughout a previous presidential campaign.

When this image gained popularity on the internet, people used it to signal certain emotions. Subsequently, it was utilized to endorse a political figure, even one notable meme retweeted by the candidate himself, portraying the frog with recognizable attire and hairstyle.

The frog was also portrayed in digital spaces in darker contexts, as a historical dictator. Participants exchanged "unique frog images" and set up digital currency in his name. Its famous line, "feels good, man", was used an inside joke.

But Pepe didn't start out as a political symbol.

Matt Furie, artist Matt Furie, has been vocal about his unhappiness for its appropriation. His creation was meant as simply a relaxed amphibian in this artist's universe.

This character debuted in comic strips in the mid-2000s – non-political and famous for a quirky behavior. A film, which follows Mr Furie's efforts to reclaim ownership of his creation, he stated the character came from his experiences with friends and roommates.

When he began, Mr Furie experimented with uploading his work to new websites, where other users began to copy, alter, and reinterpret his character. When the meme proliferated into fringe areas of online spaces, the creator tried to disavow his creation, even killing him off in a final panel.

However, its legacy continued.

"It shows that creators cannot own icons," states the professor. "Their meaning can evolve and be repurposed."

Previously, the association of Pepe resulted in frogs became a symbol for conservative politics. A transformation occurred recently, when an incident between a protestor wearing an inflatable frog costume and a federal agent in Portland spread rapidly online.

The event came just days after a decision to deploy the National Guard to the city, which was called "a warzone". Activists began to gather in droves at a specific location, just outside of an ICE office.

Tensions were high and an agent sprayed pepper spray at the individual, aiming directly into the ventilation of the puffy frog costume.

The protester, Seth Todd, quipped, stating he had tasted "something milder". However, the video became a sensation.

The frog suit was somewhat typical for Portland, known for its quirky culture and activist demonstrations that revel in the absurd – public yoga, retro fitness classes, and nude cycling groups. The city's unofficial motto is "Keep Portland Weird."

This symbol even played a role in a lawsuit between the administration and the city, which contended the deployment was unlawful.

Although a ruling was issued in October that the administration had the right to send personnel, a minority opinion disagreed, mentioning the protesters' "propensity for donning inflatable costumes while voicing opposition."

"It is easy to see the majority's ruling, which adopts the description of Portland as a battlefield, as merely absurd," the dissenting judge stated. "But today's decision goes beyond absurdity."

The order was stopped legally just a month later, and troops withdrew from the area.

But by then, the amphibian costume had transformed into a powerful anti-administration symbol for the left.

The costume appeared nationwide at anti-authoritarian protests recently. Frogs appeared – and unicorns and axolotls and dinosaurs – in major US cities. They appeared in rural communities and global metropolises abroad.

The frog costume was backordered on online retailers, and rose in price.

Shaping the Optics

What connects Pepe and the protest frog – is the relationship between the humorous, benign cartoon and serious intent. Experts call this "tactical frivolity."

The strategy relies on what Mr Bogad terms the "irresistible image" – frequently absurd, it acts as a "appealing and non-threatening" display that calls attention to a cause without needing obviously explaining them. This is the goofy costume you wear, or the meme you share.

The professor is an analyst on this topic and a veteran practitioner. He authored a text on the subject, and led seminars internationally.

"One can look back to historical periods – when people are dominated, they use absurdity to express dissent a little bit and while maintaining a layer of protection."

The purpose of such tactics is multi-faceted, he explains.

When activists take on a powerful opposition, a silly costume {takes control of|seizes|influences