🔗 Share this article

The resistance isn't televised, but it could have amphibious toes and large eyes.

It also might feature a unicorn's horn or the plumage of a chicken.

While protests against the government persist in American cities, demonstrators have embraced the vibe of a neighborhood dress-up party. They've provided dance instruction, given away treats, and ridden unicycles, as police look on.

Mixing levity and political action – a tactic researchers call "tactical frivolity" – isn't novel. But it has become a signature characteristic of US demonstrations in recent years, embraced by various groups.

A specific icon has risen to become especially powerful – the frog. It began when a video of an encounter between a man in an amphibian costume and immigration enforcement agents in the city of Portland, spread online. And it has since spread to rallies across the country.

"A great deal happening 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 the Streets of Portland

It's hard to talk about protests and frogs without talking about Pepe, a cartoon character co-opted by far-right groups during an election cycle.

As the meme gained popularity online, it was used to signal certain emotions. Subsequently, it was deployed to show support for a political figure, even a particular image endorsed by the candidate himself, showing the frog with recognizable attire and hairstyle.

The frog was also portrayed in certain internet forums in offensive ways, as a hate group member. Online conservatives exchanged "unique frog images" and set up cryptocurrency in his name. Its famous line, "feels good, man", was used a coded signal.

But the character did not originate so controversial.

Its creator, artist Matt Furie, has stated about his disapproval for its co-option. The character was intended as simply a relaxed amphibian in this artist's universe.

This character debuted in a series of comics in the mid-2000s – apolitical and best known for a quirky behavior. A film, which chronicles Mr Furie's efforts to wrest back control of his creation, he said his drawing was inspired by his experiences with friends and roommates.

Early in his career, Mr Furie experimented with uploading his work to the nascent social web, where people online began to borrow, remix and reinvent his character. As its popularity grew into the more extreme corners of online spaces, Mr Furie tried to disavow the frog, including ending its life in a final panel.

Yet the frog persisted.

"It shows that we don't control imagery," explains Prof Bogad. "They can change and shift and be reclaimed."

Previously, the association of this meme meant that amphibian imagery became a symbol for conservative politics. A transformation occurred in early October, when a viral moment between an activist wearing an inflatable frog costume and a federal agent in Portland went viral.

The event followed a decision to send military personnel to Portland, which was called "a warzone". Protesters began to assemble in large numbers on a single block, near a federal building.

The situation was tense and an agent used pepper spray at the individual, targeting the ventilation of the costume.

The protester, the man in the costume, quipped, stating he had tasted "something milder". Yet the footage spread everywhere.

The frog suit was not too unusual for the city, known for its quirky culture and activist demonstrations that embrace the absurd – public yoga, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and unique parades. Its creed is "Embrace the Strange."

This symbol even played a role in subsequent court proceedings between the administration and the city, which contended the use of troops was illegal.

Although a judge decided that month that the president had the right to send personnel, a dissenting judge wrote, noting in her opinion demonstrators' "known tendency for wearing chicken suits while voicing dissent."

"Some might view the majority's ruling, which adopts the government's characterization as a battlefield, as merely absurd," the dissenting judge stated. "However, this ruling goes beyond absurdity."

The order was stopped legally subsequently, and troops have reportedly departed the area.

But by then, the amphibian costume had become a powerful symbol of resistance for the left.

The inflatable suit was spotted nationwide at anti-authoritarian protests recently. Amphibian costumes were present – and unicorns and axolotls and dinosaurs – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They were in small towns and global metropolises like Tokyo and London.

The inflatable suit was backordered on major websites, and saw its cost increase.

Shaping the Optics

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

This approach is based on what the professor terms the "irresistible image" – often silly, it acts as a "appealing and non-threatening" act that highlights a cause without needing explicitly stating them. It's the goofy costume used, or the meme you share.

Mr Bogad is both an expert in the subject and someone who uses these tactics. He authored a book called 'Tactical Performance', and taught workshops internationally.

"You could go back to the Middle Ages – when people are dominated, they use absurdity to express dissent a little bit and while maintaining plausible deniability."

The purpose of this approach is multi-faceted, he explains.

When protesters confront authority, humorous attire {takes control of|seizes|influences