From Conservative Meme to Anti-ICE Symbol: The Surprising Transformation of the Frog

The revolution won't be broadcast, though it may feature webbed feet and protruding eyes.

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

As protests against the administration persist in American cities, protesters are utilizing the vibe of a community costume parade. They've provided salsa lessons, distributed treats, and performed on unicycles, as officers look on.

Mixing humour and political action – an approach social scientists refer to as "tactical frivolity" – is not new. But it has become a hallmark of US demonstrations in the current era, used by both left and right.

And one symbol has risen to become especially powerful – the frog. It started after recordings of a clash between a man in an amphibian costume and ICE agents in the city of Portland, became an internet sensation. And it has since spread to protests across the country.

"A great deal at play with that little frog costume," notes a professor, a professor at University of California, Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who focuses on political performance.

From Pepe to Portland

It is difficult to talk about protests and frogs without addressing Pepe, a web comic frog co-opted by online communities throughout a previous presidential campaign.

Initially, when this image initially spread on the internet, its purpose was to convey specific feelings. Afterwards, it was utilized to endorse a candidate, including one notable meme endorsed by the candidate himself, portraying Pepe with a signature suit and hair.

Pepe was also depicted in digital spaces in darker contexts, as a hate group member. Users exchanged "rare Pepes" and set up digital currency using its likeness. His catchphrase, "that feels good", became an inside joke.

But the character did not originate so controversial.

Matt Furie, the illustrator, has been vocal about his disapproval for how the image has been used. The character was intended as simply an apolitical figure in his comic world.

Pepe first appeared in comic strips in the mid-2000s – apolitical and best known for a particular bathroom habit. In 'Feels Good Man', which chronicles Mr Furie's efforts to reclaim ownership of his creation, he said the character came from his life with friends and roommates.

As he started out, Mr Furie tried uploading his work to early internet platforms, where people online began to copy, alter, and reinterpret the frog. As its popularity grew into fringe areas of the internet, the creator attempted to distance himself from the frog, even killing him off in a comic strip.

Yet the frog persisted.

"It proves the lack of control over icons," explains the professor. "Their meaning can evolve and be reworked."

For a long time, the popularity of Pepe meant that amphibian imagery became a symbol for conservative politics. But that changed on a day in October, when an incident between a protestor wearing a blow-up amphibian suit and a federal agent in Portland, Oregon captured global attention.

The event came just days after a directive to deploy the National Guard to the city, which was called "a warzone". Protesters began to congregate at a specific location, just outside of an immigration enforcement facility.

Emotions ran high and a officer used irritant at a protester, directing it into the opening of the puffy frog costume.

Seth Todd, the man in the costume, quipped, remarking it tasted like "something milder". However, the video went viral.

The frog suit was somewhat typical for the city, known for its eccentric vibe and left-wing protests that embrace the absurd – public yoga, retro fitness classes, and nude cycling groups. The city's unofficial motto is "Keep Portland Weird."

The costume was also referenced in subsequent court proceedings between the administration and the city, which contended the use of troops was illegal.

While a judge decided that month that the administration had the right to deploy troops, one judge dissented, noting in her opinion the protesters' "propensity for wearing chicken suits while voicing opposition."

"Observers may be tempted the court's opinion, which accepts the government's characterization as a battlefield, as merely absurd," she wrote. "But today's decision is not merely absurd."

The order was "permanently" blocked just a month later, and personnel have reportedly departed the area.

Yet already, the amphibian costume was now a significant symbol of resistance for the left.

The inflatable suit was spotted in many cities at anti-authoritarian protests last autumn. There were frogs – along with other creatures – in major US cities. They appeared in rural communities and global metropolises abroad.

This item was backordered on online retailers, and saw its cost increase.

Controlling the Visual Story

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

The tactic is based on what Mr Bogad calls the "irresistible image" – frequently absurd, it acts as a "appealing and non-threatening" act that calls attention to your ideas without directly articulating them. This is the silly outfit you wear, or the symbol you share.

The professor is both an expert in the subject and a veteran practitioner. He's written a text called 'Tactical Performance', and taught workshops internationally.

"One can look 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 purpose of such tactics is three-fold, Mr Bogad explains.

When protesters confront a powerful opposition, humorous attire {takes control of|seizes|influences