How Far-Right Meme to Protest Icon: This Surprising Story of the Amphibian

This revolution may not be broadcast, though it may feature amphibious toes and bulging eyes.

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

Whilst rallies against the government persist in US cities, demonstrators have embraced the vibe of a local block party. They've provided dance instruction, distributed treats, and performed on unicycles, while armed law enforcement observe.

Blending levity and politics – a strategy social scientists refer to as "tactical frivolity" – is not new. However, it has emerged as a hallmark of US demonstrations in the current era, adopted by all sides of the political spectrum.

A specific icon has risen to become especially powerful – the frog. It began after a video of an encounter between a man in a frog suit and immigration enforcement agents in Portland, Oregon, spread online. From there, it proliferated to protests across the country.

"There is much going on with that humble blow-up amphibian," says an expert, a professor at UC Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who studies political performance.

From Pepe to Portland

It's hard to talk about demonstrations and amphibians without mentioning Pepe, a cartoon character embraced by far-right groups throughout a previous presidential campaign.

As the meme initially spread online, people used it to convey certain emotions. Later, it was utilized to endorse a political figure, including one notable meme shared by the candidate himself, depicting Pepe with a signature suit and hair.

Pepe was also depicted in digital spaces in darker contexts, as a historical dictator. Users traded "rare Pepes" and set up cryptocurrency in his name. Its famous line, "feels good, man", was deployed an inside joke.

However its beginnings were not as a political symbol.

Its creator, artist Matt Furie, has stated about his disapproval for how the image has been used. Pepe was supposed to be simply a "chill frog-dude" in this artist's universe.

The frog first appeared in an online comic in 2005 – apolitical and best known for a particular bathroom habit. In a documentary, which chronicles the creator's attempt to reclaim ownership of his work, he said the character was inspired by his experiences with companions.

As he started out, the artist experimented with uploading his work to new websites, where the community began to borrow, remix and reinvent the frog. When the meme proliferated into darker parts of online spaces, the creator tried to disavow the frog, even killing him off in a comic strip.

But Pepe lived on.

"This demonstrates that we don't control imagery," explains Prof Bogad. "They can change and shift and be reclaimed."

Previously, the popularity of Pepe meant that frogs became a symbol for conservative politics. But that changed recently, when a confrontation between an activist dressed in an inflatable frog costume and an immigration officer in Portland spread rapidly online.

The event followed an order to send the National Guard to the city, which was described as "a warzone". Demonstrators began to congregate on a single block, just outside of an ICE office.

Tensions were high and an immigration officer sprayed a chemical agent at the individual, targeting the air intake fan of the puffy frog costume.

Seth Todd, the man in the costume, responded with a joke, remarking he had tasted "spicier tamales". But the incident went viral.

Mr Todd's attire was somewhat typical for Portland, famous for its eccentric vibe and left-wing protests that revel in the unusual – public yoga, retro fitness classes, and unique parades. Its creed is "Keep Portland Weird."

The costume even played a role in subsequent court proceedings between the administration and the city, which claimed the deployment was illegal.

Although a ruling was issued in October that the president was within its rights to deploy troops, one judge dissented, mentioning demonstrators' "propensity for donning inflatable costumes while voicing dissent."

"Observers may be tempted this decision, which adopts the government's characterization as a war zone, as simply ridiculous," she wrote. "Yet the outcome goes beyond absurdity."

The action was halted by courts soon after, and personnel are said to have left the city.

But by then, the frog had become a powerful symbol of resistance for progressive movements.

The inflatable suit was spotted nationwide at anti-authoritarian protests that fall. Amphibian costumes were present – and unicorns and axolotls and dinosaurs – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They appeared in small towns and global metropolises abroad.

The inflatable suit was in high demand on major websites, and rose in price.

Shaping the Optics

What brings both frogs together – lies in the interplay between the silly, innocent image and a deeper political meaning. This is what "tactical frivolity."

This approach rests on what Mr Bogad calls a "disarming display" – usually humorous, it's a "appealing and non-threatening" act that highlights your ideas without explicitly stating them. It's the goofy costume used, or the meme circulated.

The professor is an analyst in the subject and a veteran practitioner. He's written a text called 'Tactical Performance', and taught workshops around the world.

"One can look back to the Middle Ages – under oppressive regimes, absurd humor is used to express dissent indirectly and while maintaining plausible deniability."

The purpose of this approach is multi-faceted, Mr Bogad says.

When activists confront authority, a silly costume {takes control of|seizes|influences