🔗 Share this article

This resistance isn't televised, though it may feature amphibious toes and bulging eyes.

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

As rallies against the government persist in American cities, protesters are adopting the spirit of a local block party. They've provided salsa lessons, given away snacks, and ridden unicycles, as armed law enforcement watch.

Mixing comedy and politics – a strategy experts call "tactical frivolity" – is not new. Yet it has transformed into a hallmark of American protest in the current era, adopted by all sides of the political spectrum.

A specific icon has risen to become especially powerful – the frog. It began after a video of an encounter between a man in an inflatable frog and ICE agents in Portland, Oregon, became an internet sensation. It subsequently appeared to protests nationwide.

"A great deal happening with that little inflatable frog," says LM Bogad, who teaches at UC Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who specialises in creative activism.

The Path From Pepe to the Streets of Portland

It's challenging to talk about demonstrations and amphibians without talking about Pepe, a web comic frog embraced by far-right groups throughout an election cycle.

When the character first took off on the internet, people used it to convey certain emotions. Afterwards, its use evolved to express backing for a candidate, including a particular image shared by that figure himself, portraying Pepe with a signature suit and hair.

The frog was also portrayed in right-wing online communities in darker contexts, as a historical dictator. Users exchanged "rare Pepes" and established digital currency in his name. His catchphrase, "feels good, man", was deployed an inside joke.

Yet Pepe didn't start out so controversial.

Its creator, the illustrator, has been vocal about his distaste for its appropriation. Pepe was supposed to be simply a "chill frog-dude" in his comic world.

This character first appeared in a series of comics in 2005 – apolitical and famous for a particular bathroom habit. In a documentary, which documents the creator's attempt to wrest back control of his work, he said his drawing came from his time with companions.

When he began, the artist experimented with sharing his art to new websites, where the community began to borrow, remix and reinvent the frog. As Pepe spread into fringe areas of the internet, Mr Furie tried to disavow the frog, even killing him off in a final panel.

Yet the frog persisted.

"It proves the lack of control over imagery," states Prof Bogad. "Their meaning can evolve and be reworked."

Until recently, the association of Pepe resulted in frogs were largely associated with conservative politics. A transformation occurred recently, when a viral moment between a protestor dressed in a blow-up amphibian suit and an immigration officer in Portland went viral.

The event came just days after an order to send military personnel to the city, which was called "a warzone". Protesters began to gather in droves on a single block, just outside of an ICE office.

Emotions ran high and an immigration officer deployed a chemical agent at the individual, directing it into the air intake fan of the inflatable suit.

The individual, the man in the costume, reacted humorously, stating it tasted like "spicier tamales". Yet the footage spread everywhere.

Mr Todd's attire was not too unusual for Portland, known for its unconventional spirit and left-wing protests that delight in the absurd – public yoga, retro fitness classes, and nude cycling groups. Its creed is "Embrace the Strange."

The frog even played a role in a lawsuit between the administration and the city, which claimed the deployment was unlawful.

Although a judge decided that month that the president was within its rights to send personnel, a dissenting judge wrote, noting in her opinion the protesters' "well-known penchant for wearing chicken suits when expressing opposition."

"Some might view the majority's ruling, which accepts the government's characterization as a war zone, as simply ridiculous," the dissenting judge wrote. "But today's decision has serious implications."

The action was "permanently" blocked subsequently, and personnel are said to have left the city.

Yet already, the frog was now a potent anti-administration symbol for the left.

The costume appeared in many cities at No Kings protests that fall. Amphibian costumes were present – along with other creatures – in major US cities. They appeared in small towns and global metropolises abroad.

This item was in high demand on online retailers, and became more expensive.

Shaping the Optics

What brings the two amphibian symbols – lies in the interplay between the humorous, benign cartoon and serious intent. This concept is "tactical frivolity."

The tactic is based on what the professor terms a "disarming display" – frequently absurd, it's a "disarming and charming" display that highlights a cause without needing explicitly stating them. It's the unusual prop you wear, or the meme you share.

Mr Bogad is an analyst in the subject and someone who uses these tactics. He authored a text on the subject, and led seminars internationally.

"One can look back to historical periods – under oppressive regimes, they use absurdity to speak the truth a little bit and still have a layer of protection."

The purpose of such tactics is three-fold, Mr Bogad says.

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