How Right-Wing Symbol to Anti-ICE Icon: The Surprising Story of the Amphibian

This revolution may not be broadcast, yet it might possess webbed feet and bulging eyes.

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

Whilst protests against the government carry on in US cities, demonstrators are adopting the spirit of a local block party. They've provided dance instruction, distributed snacks, and ridden unicycles, while armed law enforcement watch.

Mixing humour and politics – a tactic social scientists term "tactical frivolity" – is not new. However, it has emerged as a signature characteristic of American protest in this period, used by both left and right.

One particular emblem has proven to be notably significant – the frog. It began after a video of an encounter between a protester in an amphibian costume and ICE agents in Portland, Oregon, became an internet sensation. From there, it proliferated to demonstrations nationwide.

"There is much at play with that small inflatable frog," says LM Bogad, who teaches at UC Davis and an academic who specialises in creative activism.

From Pepe to the Streets of Portland

It's challenging to talk about protests and frogs without mentioning Pepe, a cartoon character adopted by online communities during a previous presidential campaign.

When this image initially spread on the internet, it was used to convey certain emotions. Later, it was utilized to endorse a candidate, even a particular image shared by that figure himself, depicting the frog with recognizable attire and hairstyle.

The frog was also portrayed in certain internet forums in more extreme scenarios, as a historical dictator. Online conservatives exchanged "unique frog images" and set up cryptocurrency in his name. His catchphrase, "that feels good", was deployed an inside joke.

But the character did not originate so controversial.

Its creator, the illustrator, has stated about his disapproval for its appropriation. The character was intended as simply a "chill frog-dude" in his comic world.

The frog first appeared in a series of comics in 2005 – non-political and best known for a quirky behavior. In a documentary, which follows Mr Furie's efforts to wrest back control of his work, he stated the character came from his time with friends and roommates.

When he began, Mr Furie tried uploading his work to the nascent social web, where the community began to copy, alter, and reinterpret the frog. When the meme proliferated into the more extreme corners of the internet, the creator tried to disavow his creation, including ending its life in a final panel.

However, its legacy continued.

"It proves that creators cannot own imagery," explains Prof Bogad. "They transform and be reclaimed."

For a long time, the notoriety of Pepe resulted in frogs were predominantly linked to the right. This shifted on a day in October, when an incident between an activist wearing an inflatable frog costume and an immigration officer in Portland spread rapidly online.

This incident followed a decision to send the National Guard to Portland, which was called "a warzone". Protesters began to congregate on a single block, near an immigration enforcement facility.

Emotions ran high and an agent used irritant at the individual, aiming directly into the air intake fan of the costume.

Seth Todd, the man in the costume, quipped, remarking he had tasted "something milder". But the incident spread everywhere.

The frog suit fit right in for Portland, known for its quirky culture and left-wing protests that revel in the unusual – public yoga, retro fitness classes, and unique parades. Its creed is "Embrace the Strange."

The frog became part of in subsequent court proceedings between the federal government and the city, which claimed the deployment was unlawful.

While the court ruled in October that the president was within its rights to deploy troops, a dissenting judge wrote, mentioning demonstrators' "known tendency for using unusual attire while voicing their disagreement."

"It is easy to see the majority's ruling, which adopts the government's characterization as a war zone, as merely absurd," she opined. "But today's decision goes beyond absurdity."

The order was stopped legally subsequently, and troops are said to have left the city.

But by then, the frog was now a powerful anti-administration symbol for progressive movements.

This symbol appeared nationwide at No Kings protests that fall. Frogs appeared – along with other creatures – in major US cities. They appeared in rural communities and big international cities abroad.

This item was in high demand on online retailers, and saw its cost increase.

Controlling the Optics

The link between Pepe and the protest frog – lies in the interplay between the silly, innocent image and serious intent. This concept is "tactical frivolity."

This approach is based on what Mr Bogad calls the "irresistible image" – usually humorous, it's a "appealing and non-threatening" performance that calls attention to a message without needing explicitly stating them. It's the silly outfit you wear, or the meme you share.

The professor is both an expert in the subject and an experienced participant. He authored a book called 'Tactical Performance', and taught workshops around the world.

"You could go back to the Middle Ages – when people are dominated, absurd humor is used to speak the truth indirectly and while maintaining plausible deniability."

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

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