The Journey of Far-Right Meme to Protest Icon: This Remarkable Evolution of the Frog

This revolution may not be broadcast, but it could have webbed feet and large eyes.

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

As demonstrations opposing the government continue in US cities, demonstrators are adopting the spirit of a community costume parade. They've provided salsa lessons, handed out snacks, and ridden unicycles, while police watch.

Combining comedy and politics – a strategy experts term "tactical frivolity" – is not new. However, it has emerged as a signature characteristic of US demonstrations in the current era, embraced by both left and right.

And one symbol has emerged as notably significant – the frog. It started when a video of a confrontation between an individual in an inflatable frog and federal officers in the city of Portland, went viral. From there, it proliferated to protests nationwide.

"There's a lot at play with that small blow-up amphibian," states an expert, a professor at University of California, Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who specialises in creative activism.

The Path From Pepe to Portland

It is difficult to discuss protests and frogs without talking about Pepe, a cartoon character co-opted by online communities throughout a political race.

As the meme first took off online, it was used to signal specific feelings. Subsequently, it was utilized to show support for a political figure, including a particular image shared by the candidate personally, showing the frog with a signature suit and hair.

Images also circulated in right-wing online communities in darker contexts, portrayed as a historical dictator. Participants traded "unique frog images" and established digital currency in his name. His catchphrase, "feels good, man", became a shared phrase.

But the character did not originate so controversial.

The artist behind it, artist Matt Furie, has expressed about his disapproval for its co-option. Pepe was supposed to be simply an apolitical figure in his comic world.

Pepe debuted in a series of comics in 2005 – apolitical and famous for a quirky behavior. In 'Feels Good Man', which chronicles the creator's attempt to reclaim ownership of his creation, he stated his drawing came from his time with friends and roommates.

As he started out, Mr Furie experimented with sharing his art to early internet platforms, where the community began to borrow, remix and reinvent the frog. As Pepe spread into darker parts of online spaces, the creator tried to disavow his creation, including ending its life in a comic strip.

But Pepe lived on.

"This demonstrates that creators cannot own imagery," says the professor. "They transform and be repurposed."

Until recently, the association of Pepe resulted in amphibian imagery were predominantly linked to the right. But that changed in early October, when a confrontation between an activist wearing an inflatable frog costume and a federal agent in Portland spread rapidly online.

The moment came just days after a decision to send the National Guard to the city, which was called "war-ravaged". Activists began to gather in droves on a single block, just outside of a federal building.

Tensions were high and an agent sprayed pepper spray at a protester, aiming directly into the ventilation of the costume.

Seth Todd, Seth Todd, responded with a joke, remarking he had tasted "spicier tamales". However, the video spread everywhere.

Mr Todd's attire was somewhat typical for Portland, renowned for its eccentric vibe and activist demonstrations that delight in the ridiculous – public yoga, retro fitness classes, and nude cycling groups. Its creed is "Keep Portland Weird."

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

While the court ruled in October that the president had the right to deploy troops, a dissenting judge wrote, noting in her opinion demonstrators' "propensity for using unusual attire while voicing their disagreement."

"Observers may be tempted this decision, which adopts the description of Portland as a war zone, as simply ridiculous," she wrote. "Yet the outcome is not merely absurd."

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

But by then, the amphibian costume had become a potent symbol of resistance for progressive movements.

The costume was spotted in many cities at anti-authoritarian protests that fall. There were frogs – and unicorns and axolotls and dinosaurs – in major US cities. They were in small towns and big international cities like Tokyo and London.

The inflatable suit was in high demand on major websites, and became more expensive.

Controlling the Visual Story

What brings Pepe and the protest frog – is the dynamic between the humorous, benign cartoon and a deeper political meaning. This is what "tactical frivolity."

The tactic relies on what Mr Bogad terms a "disarming display" – often silly, it's a "appealing and non-threatening" performance that calls attention to your ideas without directly articulating them. This is the silly outfit you wear, or the meme circulated.

Mr Bogad is an analyst on this topic and someone who uses these tactics. He authored a text called 'Tactical Performance', and led seminars internationally.

"You could go back to historical periods – under oppressive regimes, they use absurdity to speak the truth indirectly and while maintaining a layer of protection."

The purpose of this approach is three-fold, Mr Bogad says.

When protesters confront authority, a silly costume {takes control of|seizes|influences