The Long History of Frogs as Protest Symbols

"Think of it like "Where's Waldo?" for the anti-Trump movement: Last Saturday, as some 7 million people filled American cities for the latest "No Kings" protest, many of them showed up wearing inflatable frog costumes. The amphibians were easy to spot in the sea of signs, and their inspiration seemed clear: They'd seen the protesters outside of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Portland, Oregon holding " Frogs Together Strong " signs and followed suit. The meme had spread."

"Since the weekend, TikTok, Instagram, Bluesky and other social media platforms have been filled with images and videos of inflatable frogs in the streets. TikTok shop now offers "Portland Frog Protest Stickers" emblazoned with the word "Resist." At a time when people post through everything, it's expected that acts of protest or political theater will go viral. Even President Donald Trump responded to Saturday's events by sharing an AI-generated video of himself dumping excrement on American protesters from a jet."

"For one, there's the issue of surveillance. Americans have become increasingly aware that when they're protesting, they're being watched by authorities. Dressing as a cartoon frog, or any other creature, makes it harder for someone to identify your face. As more people adopt the poofy green costume, each wearer becomes even more anonymous. Then there's the absurdity factor. Costumed protesters offset the image of the black-clad demonstrators often demonized by Trump."

Some 7 million people filled American cities for a 'No Kings' protest where many wore inflatable frog costumes that became easy to spot. The costumes drew inspiration from protesters outside an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Portland holding ' Frogs Together Strong ' signs. Images and videos of inflatable frogs spread across TikTok, Instagram, Bluesky and other platforms, and TikTok shop began selling 'Portland Frog Protest Stickers' labeled 'Resist.' President Donald Trump shared an AI-generated video mocking protesters. The frogs obscure faces for surveillance avoidance, increase anonymity as adoption grows, and add absurdity that counters the demonized image of black-clad demonstrators; a judge blocked a late-September plan to deploy Oregon National Guard troops.

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