A couple of days ago, F.G. Fitzer noted the entry of Krampus as a candidate for President of the United States in 2012. Krampus, the traditional spirit of Yule holiday revelry, has filed paperwork to form an exploratory committee with the FEC in spite of controversy as to his citizenship.

This morning, researching the Krampus for President campaign, I came across information indicating that the 2012 campaign is not the first political activity that can be attributed to Krampus. Krampus was spotted taking part in the protests against Governor Scott Walker in Madison, Wisconsin back in February, and can be spotted leading a march down the street in the second half of a video of the protest.

The involvement of Krampus in the anti-Walker protests took place through the help of the Sacred Clown Union. Explaining why Krampus chose to become involved in the protests in Madison, the group provides a kind of political philosophy of Krampus as a rebel against cruel authority in alignment with sacred clown traditions from around the world. The organization writes:

“Some of our clowns definitely take inspiration from Krampus –“the henchmen of Saint Nick” thing you find in the Austrian, German and Swiss Alps. We live in Wisconsin, a bastion of German heritage, and we see those clowns as something we lost– something we want back! But this is global. We love love love the Japanese Namahage and the Native American Heyokas too! We embrace them all…

We’re here to help sweep away the vile spirit of big, greedy, power-mad ego– the ones that seemingly care so little for the children– the ones that would imperil their own grandchildren just to line their own pockets. Our heart-sworn ethic is to do this with humor, creativity, art, dance, music and absurdity.”

Krampus has yet to define his presidential campaign platform. Yet, with his involvement in the Wisconsin protests, we can see that Krampus is opposed to the effort to do away with workers’ right to collective bargaining.