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Pepe the Frog RIP: The artist behind the frog kills him off due to racist associations
The frog was adopted by white supremacists and the alt-right movement.
THE CREATOR OF the Pepe the Frog cartoon has symbolically killed off his creation due to its association with racism and the alt-right movement.
Matt Furie first designed the cartoon in 2005 as part of his “Boys Club” series but it has since taken on a life of its own, most strikingly by white supremacists who have altered it in a variety of poses including as a nazi.
Online, many alt-right supporters identify themselves as such using the Pepe the Frog symbol.
Donald Trump previously tweeted the image after it was tweeted to him by a supporter.
Furie has attempted to reclaim the symbol in recent years but now appears to have given up on his creation, publishing a cartoon in Fantagraphics that depicts a dead Pepe being mourned by his friends.
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During the US presidential election campaign, the Clinton campaign decried the “horrifying” use of the frog meme, calling Pepe “a symbol associated with white supremacy.”
Jewish lobby group the Anti-Defamation League also designated Pepe as a hate symbol alongside symbols such as the swastika and the “Blood Drop Cross” of the KKK.
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