🔗 Share this article

This protest movement may not be televised, though it may feature webbed feet and bulging eyes.

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

As rallies against the leadership carry on in US cities, participants have embraced the spirit of a neighborhood dress-up party. They've provided dance instruction, given away snacks, and ridden unicycles, as armed law enforcement watch.

Blending comedy and political action – an approach social scientists refer to as "tactical frivolity" – isn't novel. Yet it has transformed into a signature characteristic of American protest in this period, used by various groups.

A specific icon has emerged as particularly salient – the frog. It started after a video of a confrontation between a man in an amphibian costume and federal officers in Portland, Oregon, became an internet sensation. From there, it proliferated to protests throughout the United States.

"There's a lot happening with that little frog costume," says an expert, a professor at University of California, Davis and an academic who focuses on creative activism.

From a Cartoon Frog to Portland

It is difficult to discuss demonstrations and amphibians without addressing Pepe, a cartoon character embraced by online communities during a previous presidential campaign.

When the meme initially spread online, its purpose was to signal specific feelings. Afterwards, it was deployed to show support for a candidate, including one notable meme endorsed by that figure personally, depicting Pepe with a signature suit and hair.

Pepe was also depicted in certain internet forums in offensive ways, portrayed as a hate group member. Participants traded "unique frog images" and established digital currency in his name. His catchphrase, "that feels good", was deployed a shared phrase.

Yet the character did not originate this divisive.

Its creator, artist Matt Furie, has expressed about his unhappiness for its appropriation. His creation was meant as simply a relaxed amphibian in his series.

Pepe first appeared in an online comic in the mid-2000s – non-political and notable for a quirky behavior. In a documentary, which follows Mr Furie's efforts to reclaim ownership of his work, he explained his drawing came from his time with friends and roommates.

As he started out, Mr Furie tried sharing his art to early internet platforms, where other users began to copy, alter, and reinterpret his character. As Pepe spread into fringe areas of online spaces, Mr Furie sought to reject his creation, including ending its life in a final panel.

But Pepe lived on.

"It shows that we don't control icons," states Prof Bogad. "Their meaning can evolve and be reclaimed."

For a long time, the notoriety of Pepe resulted in amphibian imagery became a symbol for the right. But that changed in early October, when a confrontation between an activist wearing an inflatable frog costume and an immigration officer in Portland went viral.

This incident occurred shortly after a decision to send the National Guard to the city, which was called "a warzone". Activists began to congregate on a single block, near an ICE office.

The situation was tense and an agent deployed pepper spray at the individual, targeting the opening of the puffy frog costume.

The protester, the man in the costume, reacted humorously, saying he had tasted "something milder". But the incident spread everywhere.

The frog suit was somewhat typical for Portland, known for its quirky culture and left-wing protests that embrace the ridiculous – outdoor exercise, retro fitness classes, and nude cycling groups. A local saying is "Keep Portland Weird."

This symbol even played a role in a lawsuit between the federal government and the city, which contended the deployment overstepped authority.

Although a ruling was issued in October that the president was within its rights to send personnel, a dissenting judge wrote, referencing in her ruling demonstrators' "propensity for wearing chicken suits when expressing their disagreement."

"It is easy to see this decision, which adopts the description of Portland as a war zone, as merely absurd," she stated. "However, this ruling goes beyond absurdity."

The action was halted by courts just a month later, and personnel have reportedly departed the area.

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

The costume appeared in many cities at No Kings protests last autumn. Amphibian costumes were present – and unicorns and axolotls and dinosaurs – in major US cities. They appeared in rural communities and big international cities like Tokyo and London.

The frog costume was backordered on online retailers, and saw its cost increase.

Shaping the Narrative

What connects Pepe and the protest frog – lies in the interplay between the silly, innocent image and a deeper political meaning. Experts call this "tactical frivolity."

This approach is based on what Mr Bogad calls the "irresistible image" – usually humorous, it's a "appealing and non-threatening" performance that calls attention to your ideas without needing obviously explaining them. It's the unusual prop used, or the meme circulated.

Mr Bogad is an analyst in the subject and someone who uses these tactics. He's written a book called 'Tactical Performance', and taught workshops around the world.

"You could go back to the Middle Ages – when people are dominated, absurd humor is used to express dissent indirectly and still have a layer of protection."

The idea of this approach is three-fold, Mr Bogad says.

As activists take on authority, humorous attire {takes control of|seizes|influences