🔗 Share this article

The revolution isn't televised, but it could have amphibious toes and bulging eyes.

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

As demonstrations against the leadership continue in US cities, participants are adopting the spirit of a local block party. They've offered dance instruction, handed out snacks, and performed on unicycles, as officers watch.

Mixing humour and politics – a tactic social scientists term "tactical frivolity" – isn't novel. Yet it has transformed into a hallmark of protests in the United States in the current era, embraced by all sides of the political spectrum.

And one symbol has risen to become notably significant – the frog. It started after a video of a confrontation between a protester in an amphibian costume and federal officers in Portland, Oregon, became an internet sensation. It subsequently appeared to demonstrations throughout the United States.

"A great deal going on with that little inflatable frog," notes an expert, who teaches at University of California, Davis and an academic who focuses on performance art.

From the Pepe Meme to Portland

It is difficult to examine protests and frogs without addressing Pepe, an illustrated figure co-opted by extremist movements throughout a previous presidential campaign.

As the character initially spread on the internet, its purpose was to convey specific feelings. Afterwards, it was deployed to show support for a political figure, even one notable meme shared by the candidate personally, portraying Pepe with recognizable attire and hairstyle.

Images also circulated in digital spaces in more extreme scenarios, portrayed as a historical dictator. Users traded "rare Pepes" and established digital currency in his name. His catchphrase, "feels good, man", became an inside joke.

However Pepe didn't start out so controversial.

Its creator, the illustrator, has stated about his unhappiness for its appropriation. Pepe was supposed to be simply an apolitical figure in this artist's universe.

The frog debuted in comic strips in 2005 – non-political and best known for a quirky behavior. A film, which follows the creator's attempt to take back of his work, he explained his drawing was inspired by his experiences with friends and roommates.

As he started out, the artist experimented with sharing his art to the nascent social web, where other users began to borrow, remix and reinvent the frog. When the meme proliferated into the more extreme corners of online spaces, Mr Furie sought to reject his creation, even killing him off in a comic strip.

Yet the frog persisted.

"It proves that we don't control imagery," states Prof Bogad. "Their meaning can evolve and be reclaimed."

For a long time, the notoriety of this meme meant that frogs were predominantly linked to conservative politics. This shifted recently, when a viral moment between an activist dressed in an inflatable frog costume and a federal agent in Portland spread rapidly online.

The event followed an order to send military personnel to Portland, which was called "war-ravaged". Protesters began to gather in droves outside a facility, just outside of an ICE office.

Emotions ran high and an agent sprayed a chemical agent at the individual, targeting the ventilation of the inflatable suit.

The individual, Seth Todd, reacted humorously, saying it tasted like "something milder". Yet the footage went viral.

Mr Todd's attire was not too unusual for Portland, known for its unconventional spirit and activist demonstrations that delight in the ridiculous – outdoor exercise, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and unique parades. A local saying is "Embrace the Strange."

The costume even played a role in the ensuing legal battle between the federal government and Portland, which argued the deployment was unlawful.

Although a ruling was issued that month that the administration had the right to send personnel, one judge dissented, mentioning demonstrators' "propensity for using unusual attire while voicing opposition."

"It is easy to see the majority's ruling, which adopts the description of Portland as a battlefield, as merely absurd," Judge Susan Graber stated. "However, this ruling is not merely absurd."

The action was stopped legally subsequently, and personnel are said to have left the city.

But by then, the amphibian costume had transformed into a potent protest icon for progressive movements.

The inflatable suit was seen across the country at anti-authoritarian protests recently. Amphibian costumes were present – along with other creatures – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They were in rural communities and global metropolises abroad.

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

Controlling the Optics

What connects the two amphibian symbols – lies in the relationship between the humorous, benign cartoon and serious intent. This is what "tactical frivolity."

This approach relies on what Mr Bogad calls the "irresistible image" – frequently absurd, it acts as a "disarming and charming" display that calls attention to a message without needing obviously explaining them. It's the unusual prop used, or the meme you share.

Mr Bogad is both an expert in the subject and an experienced participant. He's written a text called 'Tactical Performance', and taught workshops around the world.

"One can look back to the Middle Ages – when people are dominated, absurd humor is used to express dissent a little bit and still have plausible deniability."

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

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