How Right-Wing Symbol to Anti-ICE Emblem: The Unexpected Transformation of the Frog

The revolution may not be televised, but it could have webbed feet and bulging eyes.

Additionally, it could include the horn of a unicorn or the plumage of a chicken.

Whilst protests opposing the government continue in American cities, participants are adopting the vibe of a community costume parade. They've provided dance instruction, given away snacks, and performed on unicycles, as officers look on.

Blending humour and political action – a strategy social scientists refer to as "tactical frivolity" – has historical precedent. But it has become a hallmark of protests in the United States in recent years, embraced by both left and right.

And one symbol has risen to become particularly salient – the frog. It originated after recordings of a clash between a man in an amphibian costume and federal officers in Portland, Oregon, went viral. And it has since spread to demonstrations nationwide.

"There is much at play with that little frog costume," says LM Bogad, who teaches at UC Davis and an academic who studies performance art.

From Pepe to Portland

It's hard to examine demonstrations and amphibians without addressing Pepe, a web comic frog embraced by far-right groups during a political race.

When this image gained popularity on the internet, its purpose was to express certain emotions. Afterwards, it was utilized to endorse a political figure, even one notable meme retweeted by the candidate personally, depicting Pepe with a signature suit and hair.

Pepe was also depicted in right-wing online communities in offensive ways, as a historical dictator. Online conservatives traded "unique frog images" and set up digital currency using its likeness. Its famous line, "feels good, man", was used a coded signal.

Yet the character did not originate this divisive.

Its creator, the illustrator, has expressed about his unhappiness for its co-option. His creation was meant as simply a "chill frog-dude" in his series.

This character first appeared in a series of comics in the mid-2000s – apolitical and famous for a particular bathroom habit. In a documentary, which follows the creator's attempt to reclaim ownership of his creation, he said the character came from his life with friends and roommates.

When he began, Mr Furie tried uploading his work to new websites, where people online began to borrow, remix and reinvent his character. When the meme proliferated into fringe areas of the internet, the creator attempted to distance himself from the frog, even killing him off in a comic strip.

However, its legacy continued.

"It shows that creators cannot own symbols," says Prof Bogad. "Their meaning can evolve and be reworked."

For a long time, the notoriety of Pepe meant that frogs were predominantly linked to the right. This shifted on a day in October, when a confrontation between a protestor wearing a blow-up amphibian suit and an immigration officer in Portland spread rapidly online.

The event followed a decision to send the National Guard to Portland, which was called "war-ravaged". Activists began to gather in droves on a single block, near an immigration enforcement facility.

The situation was tense and an agent used pepper spray at a protester, directing it into the ventilation of the puffy frog costume.

The individual, the man in the costume, responded with a joke, saying he had tasted "spicier tamales". Yet the footage went viral.

Mr Todd's attire was somewhat typical for the city, famous for its eccentric vibe and activist demonstrations that delight in the absurd – public yoga, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and nude cycling groups. A local saying is "Keep Portland Weird."

The costume became part of in a lawsuit between the administration and the city, which contended the use of troops was unlawful.

Although a judge decided in October that the administration had the right to send personnel, a minority opinion disagreed, referencing in her ruling demonstrators' "propensity for using unusual attire when expressing their disagreement."

"Observers may be tempted this decision, which accepts the government's characterization as a war zone, as simply ridiculous," she wrote. "Yet the outcome goes beyond absurdity."

The action was halted by courts soon after, and personnel withdrew from the city.

However, by that time, the frog was now a significant symbol of resistance for the left.

The inflatable suit was seen nationwide at anti-authoritarian protests that fall. There were frogs – and unicorns and axolotls and dinosaurs – in major US cities. They appeared in rural communities and big international cities like Tokyo and London.

The inflatable suit was sold out on major websites, and became more expensive.

Mastering the Narrative

The link between both frogs together – is the relationship between the humorous, benign cartoon and a deeper political meaning. This is what "tactical frivolity."

This approach relies on what Mr Bogad calls a "disarming display" – usually humorous, it's a "disarming and charming" display that calls attention to your ideas without needing explicitly stating them. This is the unusual prop you wear, or the meme circulated.

Mr Bogad is an analyst on this topic and an experienced participant. He authored a text on the subject, and taught workshops around the world.

"One can look back to historical periods – when people are dominated, absurd humor is used to express dissent a little bit and while maintaining a layer of protection."

The theory of this approach is multi-faceted, Mr Bogad explains.

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