🔗 Share this article

This resistance won't be broadcast, yet it might possess amphibious toes and large eyes.

Additionally, it could include the horn of a unicorn or a chicken's feathers.

Whilst demonstrations against the administration continue in US cities, demonstrators have embraced the energy of a community costume parade. They've provided dance instruction, distributed treats, and ridden unicycles, as police observe.

Combining levity and political action – a strategy experts call "tactical frivolity" – has historical precedent. However, it has emerged as a signature characteristic of protests in the United States in this period, used by both left and right.

A specific icon has risen to become notably significant – the frog. It began when video footage of a clash between a man in an amphibian costume and immigration enforcement agents in Portland, Oregon, spread online. And it has since spread to rallies throughout the United States.

"There's a lot happening with that humble blow-up amphibian," says an expert, a professor at University of California, Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who studies political performance.

From Pepe to the Streets of Portland

It's hard to examine protests and frogs without mentioning Pepe, a web comic frog adopted by far-right groups throughout an election cycle.

As the meme gained popularity online, people used it to convey specific feelings. Afterwards, its use evolved to show support for a candidate, including a particular image endorsed by that figure personally, showing Pepe with a signature suit and hair.

Images also circulated in digital spaces in more extreme scenarios, as a hate group member. Participants traded "unique frog images" and established cryptocurrency using its likeness. His catchphrase, "that feels good", was used a shared phrase.

However the character did not originate this divisive.

The artist behind it, the illustrator, has stated about his unhappiness for its appropriation. His creation was meant as simply a relaxed amphibian in this artist's universe.

This character debuted in a series of comics in the mid-2000s – non-political and notable for a quirky behavior. A film, which documents Mr Furie's efforts to reclaim ownership of his work, he said his drawing was inspired by his time with friends and roommates.

When he began, Mr Furie experimented with sharing his art to new websites, where other users began to copy, alter, and reinterpret his character. As Pepe spread into the more extreme corners of the internet, the creator sought to reject his creation, even killing him off in a comic strip.

However, its legacy continued.

"It proves the lack of control over symbols," says the professor. "They can change and shift and be reworked."

Until recently, the popularity of Pepe resulted in frogs were predominantly linked to the right. A transformation occurred recently, when a viral moment between an activist dressed in an inflatable frog costume and an immigration officer in Portland, Oregon went viral.

The moment occurred shortly after an order to send military personnel to Portland, which was called "a warzone". Demonstrators began to congregate on a single block, just outside of an immigration enforcement facility.

The situation was tense and a officer sprayed irritant at a protester, targeting the ventilation of the costume.

The protester, Seth Todd, responded with a joke, remarking it tasted like "something milder". But the incident spread everywhere.

The costume fit right in for Portland, known for its quirky culture and activist demonstrations that embrace the ridiculous – public yoga, retro fitness classes, and unique parades. A local saying is "Embrace the Strange."

This symbol was also referenced in a lawsuit between the federal government and the city, which claimed the deployment overstepped authority.

While a ruling was issued in October that the president was within its rights to send personnel, one judge dissented, referencing in her ruling the protesters' "propensity for donning inflatable costumes while voicing dissent."

"It is easy to see the majority's ruling, which accepts the government's characterization as a war zone, as simply ridiculous," she stated. "However, this ruling goes beyond absurdity."

The order was "permanently" blocked subsequently, and personnel withdrew from the city.

But by then, the amphibian costume had transformed into a significant symbol of resistance for progressive movements.

The inflatable suit was spotted nationwide at No Kings protests that fall. Frogs appeared – along with other creatures – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They were in rural communities and big international cities abroad.

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

Mastering the Visual Story

What brings Pepe and the protest frog – lies in the relationship between the humorous, benign cartoon and underlying political significance. This is what "tactical frivolity."

This approach is based on what the professor calls a "disarming display" – usually humorous, it's a "appealing and non-threatening" performance that draws focus to a message without needing obviously explaining them. This is the silly outfit used, or the symbol circulated.

Mr Bogad is an analyst on this topic and someone who uses these tactics. He authored a text called 'Tactical Performance', and led seminars around the world.

"One can look back to historical periods – when people are dominated, absurd humor is used to speak the truth indirectly and while maintaining a layer of protection."

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

When protesters confront authority, humorous attire {takes control of|seizes|influences