From Far-Right Meme to Protest Symbol: The Remarkable Transformation of the Amphibian

This resistance may not be televised, yet it might possess webbed feet and large eyes.

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

As rallies against the leadership carry on in American cities, participants are adopting the energy of a local block party. They've offered dance instruction, handed out treats, and ridden unicycles, as armed law enforcement observe.

Combining comedy and politics – an approach researchers term "tactical frivolity" – isn't novel. Yet it has transformed into a signature characteristic of protests in the United States in recent years, adopted by both left and right.

One particular emblem has emerged as especially powerful – the frog. It started after video footage of a confrontation between a protester in an inflatable frog and federal officers in Portland, Oregon, went viral. From there, it proliferated to demonstrations throughout the United States.

"A great deal going on with that small blow-up amphibian," says a professor, who teaches at UC Davis and an academic who specialises in performance art.

From Pepe to Portland

It's challenging to discuss demonstrations and amphibians without talking about Pepe, an illustrated figure embraced by extremist movements during a previous presidential campaign.

When the character initially spread online, its purpose was to signal certain emotions. Afterwards, its use evolved to endorse a political figure, including one notable meme retweeted by that figure personally, portraying the frog with recognizable attire and hairstyle.

Pepe was also depicted in right-wing online communities in offensive ways, as a historical dictator. Participants traded "unique frog images" and established digital currency using its likeness. His catchphrase, "feels good, man", was used an inside joke.

But the character did not originate as a political symbol.

Its creator, artist Matt Furie, has stated about his unhappiness for how the image has been used. 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 – apolitical and famous for a particular bathroom habit. In a documentary, which documents the creator's attempt to wrest back control of his creation, he said his drawing was inspired by his experiences with companions.

As he started out, Mr Furie tried sharing his art to early internet platforms, where people online began to copy, alter, and reinterpret the frog. When the meme proliferated into fringe areas of online spaces, Mr Furie sought to reject his creation, including ending its life in a comic strip.

Yet the frog persisted.

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

Until recently, the popularity of Pepe meant that frogs were largely associated with conservative politics. This shifted recently, when a confrontation between a protestor dressed in a blow-up amphibian suit and an immigration officer in Portland went viral.

The moment occurred shortly after a decision to deploy military personnel to the city, which was called "a warzone". Activists began to congregate at a specific location, just outside of an immigration enforcement facility.

Tensions were high and an immigration officer deployed irritant at the individual, directing it into the air intake fan of the costume.

The protester, the man in the costume, quipped, saying it tasted like "spicier tamales". But the incident spread everywhere.

The costume was not too unusual for the city, known for its quirky culture and activist demonstrations that revel in the absurd – outdoor exercise, retro fitness classes, and nude cycling groups. Its creed is "Embrace the Strange."

The costume became part of in the ensuing legal battle between the federal government and the city, which claimed the deployment overstepped authority.

While a judge decided in October that the administration had the right to deploy troops, a minority opinion disagreed, mentioning demonstrators' "known tendency for using unusual attire while voicing dissent."

"Some might view the court's opinion, which adopts the description of Portland as a war zone, as simply ridiculous," she wrote. "However, this ruling goes beyond absurdity."

The deployment was halted by courts soon after, and troops have reportedly departed the area.

Yet already, the amphibian costume was now a significant anti-administration symbol for the left.

This symbol was spotted across the country 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 global metropolises like Tokyo and London.

The frog costume was sold out on major websites, and saw its cost increase.

Shaping the Optics

What connects Pepe and the protest frog – is the dynamic between the silly, innocent image and serious intent. This concept is "tactical frivolity."

The tactic rests on what Mr Bogad calls a "disarming display" – often silly, it's a "appealing and non-threatening" act that calls attention to your ideas without explicitly stating them. It's the silly outfit you wear, or the symbol 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 indirectly and still have plausible deniability."

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

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