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This protest movement isn't broadcast, yet it might possess amphibious toes and large eyes.

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

As protests opposing the government persist in American cities, protesters are adopting the energy of a neighborhood dress-up party. They have taught salsa lessons, given away snacks, and performed on unicycles, as officers look on.

Combining humour and politics – a strategy experts refer to as "tactical frivolity" – isn't novel. However, it has emerged as a signature characteristic of protests in the United States in this period, adopted by various groups.

One particular emblem has proven to be especially powerful – the frog. It began when recordings of an encounter between a man in an amphibian costume and immigration enforcement agents in the city of Portland, became an internet sensation. It subsequently appeared to demonstrations nationwide.

"There's a lot going on with that little blow-up amphibian," says LM Bogad, who teaches at UC Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who studies political performance.

From Pepe to the Streets of Portland

It's hard to discuss demonstrations and amphibians without mentioning Pepe, an illustrated figure adopted by extremist movements throughout a previous presidential campaign.

As the character first took off on the internet, people used it to signal certain emotions. Subsequently, it was utilized to endorse a political figure, including one notable meme endorsed by the candidate personally, depicting Pepe with a signature suit and hair.

Images also circulated in digital spaces in more extreme scenarios, as a historical dictator. Participants traded "unique frog images" and set up cryptocurrency in his name. Its famous line, "that feels good", was deployed a shared phrase.

But Pepe didn't start out so controversial.

Its creator, the illustrator, has expressed about his disapproval for its appropriation. His creation was meant as simply a relaxed amphibian in this artist's universe.

This character first appeared in a series of comics in the mid-2000s – non-political and famous for a quirky behavior. In 'Feels Good Man', which follows Mr Furie's efforts to wrest back control of his creation, he explained his drawing came from his life with companions.

When he began, the artist experimented with uploading his work to new websites, where people online began to borrow, remix and reinvent his character. As its popularity grew into fringe areas of online spaces, the creator attempted to distance himself from the frog, even killing him off in a comic strip.

Yet the frog persisted.

"It shows that we don't control symbols," says Prof Bogad. "Their meaning can evolve and be reworked."

Previously, the popularity of this meme meant that frogs became a symbol for the right. This shifted in early October, when a confrontation between an activist wearing a blow-up amphibian suit and an immigration officer in Portland, Oregon spread rapidly online.

This incident occurred shortly after a directive to deploy military personnel to the city, which was called "a warzone". Activists began to congregate on a single block, just outside of an immigration enforcement facility.

The situation was tense and a officer used pepper spray at a protester, aiming directly into the opening of the puffy frog costume.

The individual, Seth Todd, responded with a joke, saying it tasted like "something milder". However, the video went viral.

The frog suit was somewhat typical for Portland, known for its quirky culture and left-wing protests that revel in the ridiculous – outdoor exercise, retro fitness classes, and unique parades. Its creed is "Keep Portland Weird."

The costume became part of in a lawsuit between the federal government and the city, which argued the deployment overstepped authority.

Although a ruling was issued that month that the president had the right to send personnel, a minority opinion disagreed, mentioning the protesters' "well-known penchant for using unusual attire when expressing dissent."

"Observers may be tempted this decision, which adopts the description of Portland as a war zone, as simply ridiculous," Judge Susan Graber opined. "Yet the outcome has serious implications."

The deployment was halted by courts soon after, and personnel have reportedly departed the area.

Yet already, the frog was now a powerful protest icon for the left.

The costume was seen across the country at No Kings protests that fall. Frogs appeared – along with other creatures – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They appeared in small towns and big international cities like Tokyo and London.

This item was sold out on major websites, and became more expensive.

Mastering the Optics

What connects the two amphibian symbols – is the relationship between the humorous, benign cartoon and underlying political significance. This concept is "tactical frivolity."

The tactic relies on what the professor terms the "irresistible image" – frequently absurd, it's a "appealing and non-threatening" display that calls attention to a cause without needing obviously explaining them. This is the unusual prop you wear, or the symbol you share.

The professor is both an expert on this topic and a veteran practitioner. He's written a text called 'Tactical Performance', and taught workshops internationally.

"One can look back to the Middle Ages – when people are dominated, absurd humor is used to speak the truth indirectly and while maintaining a layer of protection."

The purpose of such tactics is multi-faceted, Mr Bogad explains.

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