From Right-Wing Symbol to Anti-ICE Icon: This Remarkable Transformation of the Frog

This protest movement isn't televised, but it could have amphibious toes and bulging eyes.

Furthermore, it may involve the horn of a unicorn or the plumage of a chicken.

Whilst protests opposing the leadership persist in American cities, demonstrators are utilizing the vibe of a community costume parade. They've provided salsa lessons, handed out treats, and ridden unicycles, as police watch.

Blending comedy and politics – an approach researchers term "tactical frivolity" – isn't novel. But it has become a defining feature of protests in the United States in the current era, embraced by all sides of the political spectrum.

And one symbol has proven to be particularly salient – the frog. It began when video footage of a clash between a man in a frog suit and federal officers in the city of Portland, went viral. It subsequently appeared to protests across the country.

"There's a lot at play with that humble blow-up amphibian," notes an expert, who teaches at University of California, Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who focuses on political performance.

The Path From a Cartoon Frog to Portland

It's challenging to examine demonstrations and amphibians without mentioning Pepe, a web comic frog adopted by far-right groups during an election cycle.

When this image first took off online, its purpose was to convey certain emotions. Subsequently, it was deployed to express backing for a political figure, including a particular image endorsed by the candidate himself, portraying Pepe with recognizable attire and hairstyle.

The frog was also portrayed in digital spaces in more extreme scenarios, as a historical dictator. Online conservatives traded "unique frog images" and established digital currency in his name. Its famous line, "feels good, man", was deployed a shared phrase.

Yet its beginnings were not as a political symbol.

Matt Furie, the illustrator, has been vocal about his unhappiness for how the image has been used. His creation was meant as simply a relaxed amphibian in this artist's universe.

The frog debuted in a series of comics in the mid-2000s – non-political and famous for a quirky behavior. A film, which chronicles the creator's attempt to reclaim ownership of his creation, he said the character was inspired by his time with friends and roommates.

When he began, the artist tried sharing his art to early internet platforms, where people online began to borrow, remix and reinvent his character. When the meme proliferated into fringe areas of online spaces, the creator sought to reject his creation, even killing him off in a final panel.

But Pepe lived on.

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

Previously, the association of this meme meant that frogs were largely associated with conservative politics. This shifted in early October, when a viral moment between an activist wearing an inflatable frog costume and an immigration officer in Portland, Oregon captured global attention.

The moment occurred shortly after a directive to deploy military personnel to the city, which was described as "war-ravaged". Protesters began to gather in droves on a single block, near an immigration enforcement facility.

Emotions ran high and an immigration officer deployed irritant at the individual, aiming directly into the opening of the inflatable suit.

The protester, the man in the costume, reacted humorously, remarking it tasted like "spicier tamales". However, the video went viral.

The costume fit right in for Portland, known for its unconventional spirit and activist demonstrations that embrace the unusual – public yoga, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and nude cycling groups. Its creed is "Embrace the Strange."

The costume was also referenced in the ensuing legal battle between the administration and the city, which claimed the deployment overstepped authority.

While a ruling was issued that month that the administration was within its rights to send personnel, a minority opinion disagreed, mentioning demonstrators' "propensity for donning inflatable costumes while voicing dissent."

"Some might view the majority's ruling, which adopts the description of Portland as a battlefield, as simply ridiculous," she stated. "However, this ruling goes beyond absurdity."

The deployment was "permanently" blocked just a month later, and troops withdrew from the city.

But by then, the amphibian costume had become a significant anti-administration symbol for progressive movements.

The costume appeared in many cities at No Kings protests that fall. There were frogs – and unicorns and axolotls and dinosaurs – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They appeared in small towns and big international cities abroad.

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

Shaping the Narrative

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 relies on what the professor terms the "irresistible image" – usually humorous, it's a "appealing and non-threatening" act that highlights your ideas without needing obviously explaining them. This is the silly outfit you wear, or the symbol you share.

The professor is both an expert in the subject and someone who uses these tactics. He's written a book on the subject, and led seminars around the world.

"One can look back to the Middle Ages – under oppressive regimes, absurd humor is used to speak the truth indirectly and while maintaining a layer of protection."

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

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