The Journey of Right-Wing Meme to Resistance Symbol: This Surprising Transformation of the Amphibian

The revolution may not be televised, yet it might possess webbed feet and protruding eyes.

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

As rallies opposing the leadership carry on in American cities, protesters have embraced the spirit of a neighborhood dress-up party. They've offered dance instruction, distributed treats, and performed on unicycles, while officers observe.

Blending levity and politics – a strategy researchers refer to as "tactical frivolity" – has historical precedent. But it has become a defining feature of American protest in recent years, adopted by both left and right.

One particular emblem has emerged as especially powerful – the frog. It began when a video of a confrontation between an individual in an inflatable frog and immigration enforcement agents in the city of Portland, went viral. From there, it proliferated to rallies nationwide.

"There's a lot happening with that little frog costume," says LM Bogad, who teaches at UC Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who studies political performance.

From the Pepe Meme to Portland

It is difficult to talk about protests and frogs without talking about Pepe, an illustrated figure embraced by extremist movements during a political race.

Initially, when this image first took off online, people used it to signal specific feelings. Subsequently, its use evolved to show support for a political figure, including one notable meme shared by that figure himself, portraying Pepe with recognizable attire and hairstyle.

Pepe was also depicted in right-wing online communities in more extreme scenarios, portrayed as a historical dictator. Participants exchanged "rare Pepes" and set up digital currency using its likeness. Its famous line, "feels good, man", was deployed an inside joke.

But its beginnings were not as a political symbol.

Its creator, artist Matt Furie, has been vocal about his disapproval for its appropriation. Pepe was supposed to be simply a "chill frog-dude" in this artist's universe.

The frog first appeared in a series of comics in 2005 – non-political and notable for a particular bathroom habit. In 'Feels Good Man', which documents Mr Furie's efforts to reclaim ownership of his work, he explained his drawing was inspired by his time with companions.

As he started out, Mr Furie experimented with uploading his work to early internet platforms, where people online began to borrow, remix and reinvent the frog. As its popularity grew into the more extreme corners of the internet, Mr Furie sought to reject the frog, including ending its life in a comic strip.

Yet the frog persisted.

"This demonstrates the lack of control over symbols," explains Prof Bogad. "Their meaning can evolve and be reworked."

Previously, the notoriety of this meme meant that frogs were predominantly linked to the right. This shifted in early October, when a confrontation between an activist dressed in an inflatable frog costume and a federal agent in Portland, Oregon captured global attention.

The moment occurred shortly after a directive to send military personnel to the city, which was called "a warzone". Protesters began to assemble in large numbers on a single block, just outside of a federal building.

Tensions were high and an immigration officer used a chemical agent at the individual, aiming directly into the opening of the costume.

Seth Todd, Seth Todd, quipped, stating he had tasted "spicier tamales". Yet the footage became a sensation.

Mr Todd's attire fit right in for the city, famous for its unconventional spirit and left-wing protests that embrace the absurd – outdoor exercise, retro fitness classes, and unique parades. Its creed is "Keep Portland Weird."

This symbol was also referenced in the ensuing legal battle between the federal government and the city, which argued the deployment overstepped authority.

While the court ruled that month that the administration had the right to deploy troops, one judge dissented, noting in her opinion the protesters' "well-known penchant for using unusual attire when expressing opposition."

"It is easy to see the court's opinion, which accepts the description of Portland as a war zone, as merely absurd," the dissenting judge wrote. "Yet the outcome has serious implications."

The order was "permanently" blocked subsequently, and personnel have reportedly departed the city.

But by then, the amphibian costume had transformed into a powerful anti-administration symbol for the left.

This symbol appeared nationwide at anti-authoritarian protests recently. Amphibian costumes were present – and unicorns and axolotls and dinosaurs – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They appeared in rural communities and big international cities like Tokyo and London.

The frog costume was backordered on major websites, and rose in price.

Mastering the Visual Story

What brings Pepe and the protest frog – is the interplay between the humorous, benign cartoon and serious intent. This concept is "tactical frivolity."

This approach is based on what Mr Bogad calls a "disarming display" – often silly, it's a "appealing and non-threatening" display that draws focus to a message without directly articulating them. This is the goofy costume you wear, or the symbol circulated.

The professor is an analyst in the subject and a veteran practitioner. He's written a book called 'Tactical Performance', and led seminars internationally.

"One can look back to the Middle Ages – under oppressive regimes, absurd humor is used to express dissent a little bit and still have a layer of protection."

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

As activists confront a powerful opposition, a silly costume {takes control of|seizes|influences