🔗 Share this article

The resistance may not be televised, though it may feature webbed feet and protruding eyes.

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

While rallies against the government carry on in American cities, protesters have embraced the vibe of a community costume parade. They've provided dance instruction, distributed snacks, and ridden unicycles, while armed law enforcement observe.

Combining comedy and politics – a tactic experts refer to as "tactical frivolity" – has historical precedent. But it has become a defining feature of US demonstrations in recent years, adopted by various groups.

One particular emblem has emerged as notably significant – the frog. It originated after video footage of an encounter between a protester in a frog suit and federal officers in the city of Portland, became an internet sensation. From there, it proliferated to protests throughout the United States.

"There is much at play with that little inflatable frog," says LM Bogad, a professor at University of California, Davis and an academic who focuses on creative activism.

From the Pepe Meme to Portland

It is difficult to talk about demonstrations and amphibians without addressing Pepe, an illustrated figure adopted by far-right groups throughout a previous presidential campaign.

When this image first took off on the internet, its purpose was to express specific feelings. Subsequently, it was deployed to express backing for a political figure, even a particular image shared by the candidate himself, depicting Pepe with a signature suit and hair.

Images also circulated in certain internet forums in more extreme scenarios, portrayed as a hate group member. Users exchanged "unique frog images" and set up digital currency using its likeness. His catchphrase, "that feels good", became a shared phrase.

But the character did not originate so controversial.

Matt Furie, the illustrator, has been vocal about his distaste for how the image has been used. The character was intended as simply a relaxed amphibian in this artist's universe.

This character first appeared in a series of comics in the mid-2000s – apolitical and famous for a particular bathroom habit. In 'Feels Good Man', which documents the creator's attempt to wrest back control of his work, he stated his drawing came from his life with companions.

Early in his career, Mr Furie experimented with uploading his work to early internet platforms, where people online began to borrow, remix and reinvent the frog. As its popularity grew into darker parts of the internet, the creator sought to reject his creation, even killing him off in a comic strip.

But Pepe lived on.

"This demonstrates that creators cannot own imagery," says Prof Bogad. "Their meaning can evolve and be reworked."

For a long time, the association of this meme resulted in frogs became a symbol for the right. This shifted recently, when a viral moment between an activist dressed in a blow-up amphibian suit and a federal agent in Portland went viral.

The moment came just days after a directive to deploy military personnel to the city, which was described as "a warzone". Protesters began to congregate outside a facility, just outside of an immigration enforcement facility.

The situation was tense and a officer used a chemical agent at the individual, targeting the air intake fan of the puffy frog costume.

Seth Todd, Seth Todd, quipped, saying it tasted like "something milder". But the incident went viral.

The frog suit was somewhat typical for Portland, famous for its eccentric vibe and activist demonstrations that embrace the unusual – outdoor exercise, retro fitness classes, and unique parades. The city's unofficial motto is "Keep Portland Weird."

The frog became part of in a lawsuit between the federal government and the city, which claimed the use of troops was unlawful.

Although a ruling was issued in October that the administration was within its rights to send personnel, a minority opinion disagreed, referencing in her ruling demonstrators' "known tendency for using unusual attire while voicing their disagreement."

"It is easy to see this decision, which adopts the description of Portland as a war zone, as simply ridiculous," the dissenting judge stated. "But today's decision has serious implications."

The order was "permanently" blocked subsequently, and personnel have reportedly departed the city.

But by then, the frog had transformed into a potent protest icon for the left.

This symbol was spotted nationwide at anti-authoritarian protests recently. There were frogs – along with other creatures – in major US cities. They appeared in small towns and big international cities abroad.

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

Controlling the Optics

The link between the two amphibian symbols – is the relationship between the silly, innocent image and a deeper political meaning. This concept is "tactical frivolity."

The strategy is based on what Mr Bogad calls a "disarming display" – usually humorous, it's a "appealing and non-threatening" act that highlights a message without explicitly stating them. It's the goofy costume you wear, or the meme you share.

Mr Bogad is both an expert in the subject and someone who uses these tactics. He's written a text on the subject, and led seminars around the world.

"You could go back to the Middle Ages – when people are dominated, they use absurdity to express dissent a little bit and while maintaining plausible deniability."

The idea of this approach is three-fold, he explains.

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