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This protest movement won't be televised, but it could have amphibious toes and large eyes.

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

As demonstrations opposing the government carry on in US cities, participants have embraced the vibe of a community costume parade. They have taught dance instruction, distributed treats, and ridden unicycles, while officers observe.

Mixing levity and politics – a tactic experts refer to as "tactical frivolity" – isn't novel. But it has become a signature characteristic of American protest in the current era, adopted by both left and right.

One particular emblem has emerged as notably significant – the frog. It originated after video footage of an encounter between a protester in a frog suit and ICE agents in Portland, Oregon, went viral. From there, it proliferated to demonstrations across the country.

"There is much at play with that small frog costume," states an expert, a professor at University of California, Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who focuses on political performance.

From Pepe to Portland

It's hard to examine protests and frogs without mentioning Pepe, a cartoon character embraced by extremist movements during an election cycle.

When the character gained popularity on the internet, people used it to convey specific feelings. Later, its use evolved to endorse a political figure, including one notable meme retweeted by that figure personally, showing Pepe with recognizable attire and hairstyle.

Images also circulated in certain internet forums in offensive ways, as a hate group member. Users traded "rare Pepes" and set up cryptocurrency in his name. Its famous line, "feels good, man", was used an inside joke.

Yet its beginnings were not so controversial.

Matt Furie, artist Matt Furie, has stated about his unhappiness for its appropriation. His creation was meant as simply a relaxed amphibian in his comic world.

This character first appeared in an online comic in 2005 – apolitical 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 experiences with friends and roommates.

Early in his career, the artist tried uploading his work to early internet platforms, where the community began to borrow, remix and reinvent the frog. As Pepe spread into fringe areas of online spaces, the creator attempted to distance himself from the frog, even killing him off in a comic strip.

However, its legacy continued.

"This demonstrates that we don't control imagery," says Prof Bogad. "They transform and be repurposed."

Until recently, the notoriety of Pepe meant that frogs became a symbol for conservative politics. But that changed in early October, when an incident between an activist wearing an inflatable frog costume and an immigration officer in Portland spread rapidly online.

The moment followed a decision to deploy the National Guard to the city, which was described as "a warzone". Protesters began to gather in droves at a specific location, near a federal building.

The situation was tense and a officer deployed pepper spray at the individual, directing it into the opening of the costume.

The individual, the man in the costume, reacted humorously, saying it tasted like "something milder". But the incident spread everywhere.

The costume was somewhat typical for Portland, renowned for its eccentric vibe and left-wing protests that delight in the absurd – outdoor exercise, retro fitness classes, and nude cycling groups. A local saying is "Keep Portland Weird."

The costume even played a role in a lawsuit between the administration and Portland, which claimed the deployment overstepped authority.

Although a judge decided in October that the president had the right to deploy troops, a minority opinion disagreed, noting in her opinion the protesters' "known tendency for wearing chicken suits while voicing dissent."

"Some might view this decision, which accepts the government's characterization as a battlefield, as merely absurd," Judge Susan Graber stated. "Yet the outcome has serious implications."

The action was "permanently" blocked subsequently, and troops have reportedly departed the area.

However, by that time, the amphibian costume had become a potent anti-administration symbol for progressive movements.

The inflatable suit was spotted in many cities at anti-authoritarian protests recently. Frogs appeared – and unicorns and axolotls and dinosaurs – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They were in small towns and big international cities abroad.

This item was in high demand on major websites, and saw its cost increase.

Shaping the Visual Story

What connects the two amphibian symbols – lies in the relationship between the humorous, benign cartoon and a deeper political meaning. This concept is "tactical frivolity."

The tactic rests on what Mr Bogad calls a "disarming display" – often silly, it acts as a "disarming and charming" act that highlights your ideas without directly articulating them. It's the goofy costume you wear, or the meme you share.

The professor is both an expert in the subject and someone who uses these tactics. He authored a text called 'Tactical Performance', and taught workshops internationally.

"One can look back to historical periods – when people are dominated, they use absurdity to express dissent indirectly and while maintaining a layer of protection."

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

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