How Far-Right Meme to Anti-ICE Icon: This Remarkable Story of the Frog

This revolution may not be televised, though it may feature webbed feet and protruding eyes.

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

While rallies against the leadership continue in US cities, protesters have embraced the vibe of a community costume parade. They've provided salsa lessons, given away treats, and performed on unicycles, as armed law enforcement look on.

Combining comedy and political action – an approach researchers term "tactical frivolity" – has historical precedent. But it has become a defining feature of US demonstrations in this period, embraced by all sides of the political spectrum.

One particular emblem has proven to be especially powerful – the frog. It started when a video of a clash between a protester in an amphibian costume and immigration enforcement agents in Portland, Oregon, spread online. And it has since spread to protests throughout the United States.

"There is much going on with that humble inflatable frog," says a professor, who teaches at University of California, Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who specialises in performance art.

From Pepe to Portland

It's hard to discuss demonstrations and amphibians without talking about Pepe, a web comic frog co-opted by extremist movements during a political race.

Initially, when the meme initially spread online, its purpose was to signal certain emotions. Later, its use evolved to express backing for a political figure, even a particular image shared by that figure himself, portraying the frog with recognizable attire and hairstyle.

Pepe was also depicted in right-wing online communities in darker contexts, as a historical dictator. Online conservatives exchanged "unique frog images" and set up digital currency in his name. His catchphrase, "feels good, man", was used a coded signal.

However Pepe didn't start out so controversial.

Its creator, artist Matt Furie, has expressed about his unhappiness for its co-option. The character was intended as simply an apolitical figure in his series.

Pepe debuted in an online comic in 2005 – non-political and notable for a particular bathroom habit. In 'Feels Good Man', which follows Mr Furie's efforts to wrest back control of his creation, he stated his drawing came from his time with friends and roommates.

When he began, Mr Furie experimented with sharing his art to the nascent social web, where other users began to borrow, remix and reinvent the frog. As its popularity grew into the more extreme corners of online spaces, Mr Furie sought to reject the frog, including ending its life in a comic strip.

Yet the frog persisted.

"It shows that we don't control imagery," explains the professor. "Their meaning can evolve and be reworked."

Until recently, the association of Pepe meant that amphibian imagery became a symbol for the right. But that changed on a day in October, when a confrontation between an activist wearing an inflatable frog costume and a federal agent in Portland, Oregon spread rapidly online.

The moment came just days after a directive to deploy the National Guard to the city, which was described as "a warzone". Demonstrators began to congregate on a single block, near an immigration enforcement facility.

Emotions ran high and an immigration officer deployed irritant at the individual, aiming directly into the ventilation of the puffy frog costume.

The individual, the man in the costume, quipped, remarking it tasted like "something milder". But the incident spread everywhere.

Mr Todd's attire fit right in for Portland, renowned for its quirky culture and left-wing protests that delight in the unusual – outdoor exercise, retro fitness classes, and unique parades. Its creed is "Keep Portland Weird."

This symbol was also referenced in the ensuing legal battle between the federal government and the city, which argued the use of troops overstepped authority.

While a ruling was issued that month that the administration was within its rights to send personnel, a minority opinion disagreed, mentioning the protesters' "well-known penchant for donning inflatable costumes when expressing their disagreement."

"Observers may be tempted the court's opinion, which accepts the government's characterization as a war zone, as merely absurd," she wrote. "But today's decision has serious implications."

The action was stopped legally subsequently, and personnel have reportedly departed the area.

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

This symbol was spotted nationwide at anti-authoritarian protests recently. There were frogs – and unicorns and axolotls and dinosaurs – in major US cities. They were in rural communities and big international cities abroad.

This item was in high demand on online retailers, and rose in price.

Controlling the Narrative

The link between Pepe and the protest frog – is the relationship between the silly, innocent image and serious intent. This is what "tactical frivolity."

This approach is based on what the professor terms a "disarming display" – frequently absurd, it acts as a "appealing and non-threatening" performance that calls attention to a cause without needing explicitly stating them. This is the goofy costume you wear, or the meme you share.

Mr Bogad is an analyst in the subject and someone who uses these tactics. He's written a book on the subject, and led seminars internationally.

"One can look back to the Middle Ages – under oppressive regimes, they use absurdity to express dissent indirectly and still have a layer of protection."

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

As protesters confront a powerful opposition, a silly costume {takes control of|seizes|influences