🔗 Share this article

The resistance may not be broadcast, but it could have webbed feet and protruding eyes.

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

As protests against the leadership continue in US cities, demonstrators have embraced the energy of a local block party. They've offered salsa lessons, given away treats, and ridden unicycles, while officers look on.

Blending comedy and politics – a tactic social scientists term "tactical frivolity" – has historical precedent. However, it has emerged as a defining feature of US demonstrations in the current era, embraced by all sides of the political spectrum.

A specific icon has proven to be especially powerful – the frog. It originated when recordings of an encounter between an individual in an amphibian costume and immigration enforcement agents in Portland, Oregon, spread online. From there, it proliferated to rallies across the country.

"There's a lot happening with that small frog costume," states an expert, who teaches at UC Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who studies political performance.

The Path From the Pepe Meme to Portland

It's hard to discuss protests and frogs without talking about Pepe, an illustrated figure co-opted by far-right groups during an election cycle.

When the meme initially spread on the internet, its purpose was to signal certain emotions. Later, it was deployed to endorse a political figure, including a particular image endorsed by that figure personally, depicting the frog with a signature suit and hair.

Pepe was also depicted in digital spaces in darker contexts, portrayed as a hate group member. Participants traded "rare Pepes" and set up cryptocurrency using its likeness. Its famous line, "feels good, man", became a coded signal.

Yet the character did not originate so controversial.

Matt Furie, artist Matt Furie, has stated about his distaste for how the image has been used. The character was intended as simply a "chill frog-dude" in his comic world.

The frog debuted in comic strips in 2005 – non-political and best known for a quirky behavior. A film, which chronicles the creator's attempt to reclaim ownership of his work, he said the character was inspired by his life with friends and roommates.

Early in his career, the artist experimented with sharing his art to new websites, where the community began to borrow, remix and reinvent the frog. When the meme proliferated into darker parts of the internet, Mr Furie sought to reject the frog, even killing him off in a final panel.

Yet the frog persisted.

"It proves that we don't control icons," explains the professor. "They can change and shift and be reworked."

Previously, the popularity of Pepe meant that frogs were largely associated with conservative politics. This shifted on a day in October, when an incident between an activist dressed in an inflatable frog costume and an immigration officer in Portland spread rapidly online.

This incident occurred shortly after an order to deploy the National Guard to Portland, which was described as "a warzone". Demonstrators began to assemble in large numbers at a specific location, near an ICE office.

The situation was tense and an immigration officer sprayed a chemical agent at the individual, targeting the air intake fan of the costume.

The individual, Seth Todd, reacted humorously, saying it tasted like "spicier tamales". Yet the footage spread everywhere.

The frog suit was not too unusual for the city, known for its eccentric vibe and activist demonstrations that embrace the absurd – outdoor exercise, retro fitness classes, and nude cycling groups. A local saying is "Embrace the Strange."

This symbol became part of in a lawsuit between the administration and Portland, which claimed the use of troops was unlawful.

Although the court ruled that month that the administration had the right to deploy troops, one judge dissented, referencing in her ruling demonstrators' "propensity for wearing chicken suits when expressing dissent."

"Observers may be tempted the majority's ruling, which accepts the description of Portland as a war zone, as simply ridiculous," she stated. "However, this ruling has serious implications."

The deployment was stopped legally subsequently, and troops are said to have left the area.

However, by that time, the amphibian costume had become a potent anti-administration symbol for progressive movements.

The costume was seen across the country at No Kings protests that fall. There were frogs – and unicorns and axolotls and dinosaurs – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They appeared in rural communities and big international cities abroad.

This item was backordered on online retailers, and became more expensive.

Mastering the Visual Story

The link between the two amphibian symbols – lies in the dynamic between the silly, innocent image and a deeper political meaning. Experts call this "tactical frivolity."

The tactic rests on what the professor calls a "disarming display" – usually humorous, it acts as a "disarming and charming" display that draws focus to a message without explicitly stating them. This is the silly outfit you wear, or the meme you share.

The professor is both an expert on this topic and a veteran practitioner. He authored a book on the subject, and taught workshops internationally.

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

The idea of such tactics is three-fold, he says.

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