🔗 Share this article

The protest movement won't be televised, though it may feature webbed feet and large eyes.

Additionally, it could include the horn of a unicorn or the plumage of a chicken.

As demonstrations against the leadership continue in US cities, protesters are utilizing the vibe of a neighborhood dress-up party. They've provided dance instruction, given away treats, and performed on unicycles, as police watch.

Blending comedy and political action – a strategy social scientists term "tactical frivolity" – is not new. Yet it has transformed into a hallmark of American protest in recent years, adopted by both left and right.

And one symbol has emerged as particularly salient – the frog. It began when recordings of an encounter between an individual in a frog suit and federal officers in Portland, Oregon, spread online. From there, it proliferated to demonstrations throughout the United States.

"There is much going on with that small frog costume," states LM Bogad, a professor at University of California, Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who specialises in political performance.

From Pepe to Portland

It's challenging to talk about demonstrations and amphibians without mentioning Pepe, an illustrated figure adopted by online communities throughout a previous presidential campaign.

As the meme gained popularity online, people used it to convey certain emotions. Subsequently, it was utilized to show support for a political figure, even one notable meme retweeted by that figure personally, depicting the frog with recognizable attire and hairstyle.

Pepe was also depicted in certain internet forums in more extreme scenarios, as a hate group member. Online conservatives exchanged "unique frog images" and established cryptocurrency using its likeness. His catchphrase, "feels good, man", was deployed an inside joke.

But its beginnings were not this divisive.

The artist behind it, the illustrator, has been vocal about his distaste for its co-option. The character was intended as simply an apolitical figure in his series.

This character first appeared in a series of comics in the mid-2000s – non-political and best known for a quirky behavior. In 'Feels Good Man', which chronicles Mr Furie's efforts to take back of his work, he said his drawing came from his experiences with companions.

As he started out, the artist tried sharing his art to early internet platforms, where the community began to borrow, remix and reinvent his character. When the meme proliferated into the more extreme corners of online spaces, Mr Furie tried to disavow the frog, including ending its life in a final panel.

Yet the frog persisted.

"It proves that creators cannot own icons," says Prof Bogad. "They transform and be reclaimed."

Until recently, the association of Pepe meant that amphibian imagery were predominantly linked to conservative politics. But that changed in early October, when an incident between a protestor wearing an inflatable frog costume and a federal agent in Portland captured global attention.

The moment came just days after an order to send the National Guard to Portland, which was called "war-ravaged". Demonstrators began to assemble in large numbers at a specific location, near an ICE office.

Emotions ran high and an agent deployed irritant at a protester, aiming directly into the air intake fan of the costume.

The individual, Seth Todd, quipped, remarking he had tasted "spicier tamales". Yet the footage became a sensation.

The frog suit was not too unusual for Portland, famous for its unconventional spirit and left-wing protests that revel in the absurd – public yoga, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and unique parades. A local saying is "Embrace the Strange."

This symbol became part of in a lawsuit between the federal government and the city, which claimed the use of troops overstepped authority.

Although a judge decided that month that the administration was within its rights to send personnel, one judge dissented, mentioning demonstrators' "known tendency for wearing chicken suits while voicing dissent."

"Observers may be tempted this decision, which adopts the description of Portland as a battlefield, as simply ridiculous," Judge Susan Graber wrote. "But today's decision goes beyond absurdity."

The action was stopped legally subsequently, and personnel are said to have left the area.

Yet already, the amphibian costume had transformed into a potent symbol of resistance for the left.

The costume was seen nationwide at No Kings protests last autumn. There were frogs – along with other creatures – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They were in rural communities and global metropolises like Tokyo and London.

The frog costume was in high demand on online retailers, and saw its cost increase.

Mastering the Narrative

The link between the two amphibian symbols – is the interplay between the humorous, benign cartoon and serious intent. Experts call this "tactical frivolity."

The tactic is based on what the professor calls the "irresistible image" – often silly, it acts as a "appealing and non-threatening" display that draws focus to a cause without obviously explaining them. It's the silly outfit used, or the meme you share.

The professor is an analyst in the subject and someone who uses these tactics. He's written a book called 'Tactical Performance', and led seminars around the world.

"You could go back to the Middle Ages – when people are dominated, absurd humor is used to express dissent a little bit and still have plausible deniability."

The purpose of such tactics is three-fold, Mr Bogad says.

When protesters take on authority, a silly costume {takes control of|seizes|influences