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This protest movement may not be broadcast, though it may feature webbed feet and large eyes.

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

While rallies against the government carry on in US cities, participants have embraced the vibe of a neighborhood dress-up party. They've provided dance instruction, handed out snacks, and performed on unicycles, while officers look on.

Mixing humour and political action – an approach social scientists call "tactical frivolity" – is not new. Yet it has transformed into a hallmark of American protest in the current era, embraced by all sides of the political spectrum.

And one symbol has proven to be especially powerful – the frog. It began after recordings of a clash between a man in an inflatable frog and ICE agents in the city of Portland, spread online. From there, it proliferated to protests nationwide.

"A great deal happening with that small frog costume," states LM Bogad, who teaches at University of California, Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who focuses on creative activism.

The Path From a Cartoon Frog to the Streets of Portland

It's hard to talk about demonstrations and amphibians without talking about Pepe, a cartoon character adopted by far-right groups throughout a previous presidential campaign.

When this image first took off on the internet, it was used to convey certain emotions. Afterwards, its use evolved to endorse a political figure, even a particular image endorsed by the candidate personally, depicting the frog with a signature suit and hair.

Pepe was also depicted in certain internet forums in more extreme scenarios, portrayed as a hate group member. Online conservatives traded "rare Pepes" and set up cryptocurrency in his name. His catchphrase, "that feels good", was deployed a coded signal.

However Pepe didn't start out this divisive.

Matt Furie, artist Matt Furie, has been vocal about his disapproval for how the image has been used. Pepe was supposed to be simply a relaxed amphibian in this artist's universe.

The frog first appeared in comic strips in 2005 – non-political and notable for a particular bathroom habit. In a documentary, which chronicles Mr Furie's efforts to take back of his creation, he stated the character came from his life with friends and roommates.

Early in his career, Mr Furie tried sharing his art to early internet platforms, where other users began to copy, alter, and reinterpret his character. As its popularity grew into darker parts of online spaces, the creator tried to disavow the frog, including ending its life in a final panel.

But Pepe lived on.

"This demonstrates the lack of control over icons," explains Prof Bogad. "Their meaning can evolve and be reworked."

Until recently, the notoriety of this meme meant that frogs were largely associated with conservative politics. This shifted on a day in October, when an incident between a protestor dressed in an inflatable frog costume and an immigration officer in Portland, Oregon went viral.

The event came just days after a directive to send military personnel to Portland, which was called "a warzone". Activists began to assemble in large numbers at a specific location, just outside of a federal building.

The situation was tense and a officer sprayed pepper spray at a protester, aiming directly into the opening of the inflatable suit.

The protester, Seth Todd, responded with a joke, saying it tasted like "something milder". Yet the footage became a sensation.

The frog suit was somewhat typical for Portland, renowned for its unconventional spirit and activist demonstrations that embrace the ridiculous – public yoga, retro fitness classes, and nude cycling groups. Its creed is "Embrace the Strange."

This symbol was also referenced in a lawsuit between the administration and the city, which contended the deployment was illegal.

Although the court ruled in October that the administration had the right to deploy troops, a minority opinion disagreed, noting in her opinion the protesters' "well-known penchant for donning inflatable costumes when expressing their disagreement."

"Observers may be tempted the majority's ruling, which accepts the description of Portland as a battlefield, as simply ridiculous," the dissenting judge stated. "But today's decision is not merely absurd."

The deployment was stopped legally subsequently, and troops withdrew from the city.

But by then, the amphibian costume had transformed into a powerful symbol of resistance for the left.

The costume appeared across the country at No Kings protests that fall. Frogs appeared – and unicorns and axolotls and dinosaurs – in major US cities. They were in small towns and big international cities like Tokyo and London.

The inflatable suit was in high demand on major websites, and saw its cost increase.

Shaping the Optics

What connects both frogs together – is the interplay between the silly, innocent image and a deeper political meaning. Experts call this "tactical frivolity."

The strategy is based on what the professor terms a "disarming display" – frequently absurd, it acts as a "appealing and non-threatening" display that calls attention to your ideas without directly articulating them. This is the unusual prop you wear, or the symbol circulated.

The professor is an analyst in the subject and an experienced participant. He authored a book called 'Tactical Performance', and taught workshops internationally.

"One can look back to historical periods – under oppressive regimes, they use absurdity to speak the truth indirectly and while maintaining a layer of protection."

The idea of such tactics is multi-faceted, he says.

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