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This protest movement won't be televised, though it may feature webbed feet and protruding eyes.

It also might feature a unicorn's horn or the plumage of a chicken.

As protests against the administration carry on in American cities, protesters are utilizing the vibe of a neighborhood dress-up party. They've provided dance instruction, distributed treats, and performed on unicycles, while armed law enforcement look on.

Blending humour and political action – a strategy experts refer to as "tactical frivolity" – isn't novel. But it has become a defining feature of American protest in this period, used by both left and right.

And one symbol has emerged as especially powerful – the frog. It originated after a video of an encounter between a man in an inflatable frog and federal officers in Portland, Oregon, went viral. From there, it proliferated to rallies throughout the United States.

"A great deal happening with that humble frog costume," says LM Bogad, who teaches at UC Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who focuses on performance art.

The Path From the Pepe Meme to the Streets of Portland

It's challenging to examine demonstrations and amphibians without talking about Pepe, an illustrated figure adopted by online communities during a political race.

When this image first took off online, people used it to signal specific feelings. Afterwards, it was utilized to show support for a political figure, including a particular image endorsed by that figure himself, showing the frog with a signature suit and hair.

Images also circulated in right-wing online communities in more extreme scenarios, portrayed as a historical dictator. Online conservatives exchanged "rare Pepes" and set up digital currency using its likeness. His catchphrase, "feels good, man", became a coded signal.

Yet its beginnings were not so controversial.

Matt Furie, artist Matt Furie, has been vocal about his unhappiness for its co-option. The character was intended as simply a "chill frog-dude" in his series.

This character first appeared in an online comic in the mid-2000s – apolitical and notable for a particular bathroom habit. A film, which follows Mr Furie's efforts to take back of his work, he said his drawing came from his experiences with companions.

Early in his career, Mr Furie tried uploading his work to new websites, where people online began to copy, alter, and reinterpret his character. When the meme proliferated into the more extreme corners of online spaces, Mr Furie tried to disavow his creation, including ending its life in a comic strip.

However, its legacy continued.

"It shows the lack of control over imagery," explains Prof Bogad. "They transform and be reclaimed."

For a long time, the notoriety of Pepe meant that frogs became a symbol for conservative politics. A transformation occurred recently, when a viral moment between a protestor dressed in a blow-up amphibian suit and an immigration officer in Portland spread rapidly online.

The event came just days after a decision to deploy the National Guard to Portland, which was described as "war-ravaged". Activists began to congregate on a single block, near an immigration enforcement facility.

Emotions ran high and a officer deployed irritant at a protester, targeting the air intake fan of the costume.

The individual, Seth Todd, responded with a joke, stating he had tasted "something milder". However, the video became a sensation.

The costume fit right in for the city, known for its eccentric vibe and activist demonstrations that delight in the absurd – outdoor exercise, retro fitness classes, and nude cycling groups. The city's unofficial motto is "Keep Portland Weird."

The frog was also referenced in the ensuing legal battle between the administration and Portland, which argued the deployment was illegal.

Although the court ruled in October that the president had the right to send personnel, a dissenting judge wrote, referencing in her ruling the protesters' "propensity for donning inflatable costumes while voicing opposition."

"Observers may be tempted the court's opinion, which adopts the government's characterization as a battlefield, as merely absurd," the dissenting judge opined. "However, this ruling is not merely absurd."

The order was halted by courts just a month later, and troops have reportedly departed the city.

But by then, the frog had become a significant protest icon for progressive movements.

The inflatable suit appeared in many cities at anti-authoritarian protests last autumn. Amphibian costumes were present – along with other creatures – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They appeared in small towns and big international cities like Tokyo and London.

The inflatable suit was sold out on major websites, and rose in price.

Shaping the Narrative

What connects the two amphibian symbols – is the relationship between the humorous, benign cartoon and serious intent. This is what "tactical frivolity."

This approach relies on what the professor terms the "irresistible image" – usually humorous, it's a "disarming and charming" display that draws focus to a cause without directly articulating them. It's the unusual prop you wear, or the meme circulated.

Mr Bogad is an analyst in the subject and someone who uses these tactics. He's written a text on the subject, and taught workshops around the world.

"You could go back to the Middle Ages – under oppressive regimes, absurd humor is used to speak the truth indirectly and while maintaining a layer of protection."

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

As protesters confront the state, a silly costume {takes control of|seizes|influences