🔗 Share this article

This revolution isn't televised, but it could have amphibious toes and protruding eyes.

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

As rallies opposing the leadership persist in American cities, participants are utilizing the spirit of a local block party. They've provided dance instruction, given away treats, and performed on unicycles, while officers observe.

Mixing levity and political action – a strategy experts call "tactical frivolity" – isn't novel. However, it has emerged as a hallmark of protests in the United States in recent years, embraced by various groups.

And one symbol has proven to be notably significant – the frog. It started after recordings of a confrontation between an individual in an amphibian costume and immigration enforcement agents in Portland, Oregon, went viral. And it has since spread to protests throughout the United States.

"There is much going on with that small frog costume," says an expert, who teaches at University of California, Davis and an academic who studies performance art.

The Path From a Cartoon Frog to Portland

It's hard to talk about protests and frogs without mentioning Pepe, an illustrated figure adopted by online communities throughout a previous presidential campaign.

Initially, when this image initially spread online, people used it to convey certain emotions. Later, its use evolved to endorse a candidate, including a particular image endorsed by the candidate himself, portraying the frog with recognizable attire and hairstyle.

Images also circulated in digital spaces in offensive ways, as a hate group member. Participants traded "rare Pepes" and established digital currency using its likeness. His catchphrase, "feels good, man", was used a coded signal.

However its beginnings were not so controversial.

The artist behind it, the illustrator, has stated about his unhappiness for how the image has been used. Pepe was supposed to be simply an apolitical figure in his comic world.

This character first appeared in an online comic in the mid-2000s – non-political and notable for a quirky behavior. A film, which chronicles Mr Furie's efforts to wrest back control of his work, he explained the character was inspired by his time with friends and roommates.

As he started out, the artist experimented with uploading his work to early internet platforms, where the community began to copy, alter, and reinterpret his character. When the meme proliferated into the more extreme corners of online spaces, Mr Furie sought to reject the frog, even killing him off in a comic strip.

But Pepe lived on.

"This demonstrates the lack of control over symbols," explains the professor. "They transform and be reclaimed."

Previously, the association of Pepe resulted in frogs were predominantly linked to the right. This shifted in early October, when a viral moment between an activist wearing a blow-up amphibian suit and a federal agent in Portland, Oregon spread rapidly online.

The moment came just days after an order to send military personnel to the city, which was described as "war-ravaged". Protesters began to gather in droves at a specific location, just outside of a federal building.

The situation was tense and an agent deployed a chemical agent at the individual, aiming directly into the ventilation of the inflatable suit.

The protester, the man in the costume, reacted humorously, stating it tasted like "spicier tamales". But the incident spread everywhere.

The frog suit was somewhat typical for Portland, renowned for its eccentric vibe and activist demonstrations that revel in the unusual – public yoga, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and unique parades. A local saying is "Keep Portland Weird."

The frog even played a role in the ensuing legal battle between the federal government and Portland, which contended the use of troops overstepped authority.

While a ruling was issued in October that the president was within its rights to send personnel, a minority opinion disagreed, mentioning the protesters' "known tendency for wearing chicken suits while voicing dissent."

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

The action was "permanently" blocked just a month later, and personnel are said to have left the area.

However, by that time, the amphibian costume had become a potent symbol of resistance for progressive movements.

The costume was seen in many cities at anti-authoritarian protests that fall. There were frogs – along with other creatures – in major US cities. They appeared in small towns and global metropolises like Tokyo and London.

The inflatable suit was sold out on major websites, and became more expensive.

Controlling the Narrative

What brings both frogs together – is the dynamic between the silly, innocent image and underlying political significance. Experts call this "tactical frivolity."

This approach rests on what Mr Bogad calls a "disarming display" – often silly, it's a "appealing and non-threatening" performance that highlights a cause without needing obviously explaining them. It's the silly outfit used, or the symbol circulated.

The professor is an analyst on this topic and a veteran practitioner. He's written a text called 'Tactical Performance', and taught workshops around the world.

"One can look back to historical periods – under oppressive regimes, absurd humor is used to speak the truth indirectly and still have plausible deniability."

The idea of such tactics is multi-faceted, Mr Bogad explains.

As activists take on authority, a silly costume {takes control of|seizes|influences