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This protest movement may not be televised, but it could have amphibious toes and protruding eyes.

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

Whilst protests against the government continue in American cities, demonstrators are utilizing the energy of a neighborhood dress-up party. They've offered dance instruction, handed out snacks, and performed on unicycles, while police look on.

Mixing levity and politics – a tactic researchers refer to as "tactical frivolity" – is not new. But it has become a signature characteristic of protests in the United States in recent years, embraced by various groups.

And one symbol has emerged as particularly salient – the frog. It originated after video footage of an encounter between a protester in an inflatable frog and federal officers in Portland, Oregon, spread online. It subsequently appeared to protests throughout the United States.

"There is much going on with that humble inflatable frog," states a professor, who teaches at University of California, Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who studies performance art.

The Path From Pepe to the Streets of Portland

It is difficult to discuss demonstrations and amphibians without addressing Pepe, a cartoon character co-opted by extremist movements throughout a previous presidential campaign.

Initially, when the meme first took off on the internet, people used it to signal certain emotions. Later, its use evolved to express backing for a candidate, even one notable meme shared by the candidate personally, portraying Pepe with a signature suit and hair.

Pepe was also depicted in right-wing online communities in darker contexts, portrayed as a historical dictator. Online conservatives traded "rare Pepes" and established digital currency using its likeness. His catchphrase, "feels good, man", became a coded signal.

But the character did not originate as a political symbol.

The artist behind it, artist Matt Furie, has stated about his distaste 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 – apolitical and famous for a quirky behavior. In a documentary, which chronicles Mr Furie's efforts to reclaim ownership of his creation, he stated his drawing came from his experiences with friends and roommates.

When he began, the artist experimented with uploading his work to early internet platforms, where the community began to borrow, remix and reinvent his character. As Pepe spread into the more extreme corners of the internet, the creator sought to reject the frog, including ending its life in a comic strip.

But Pepe lived on.

"It proves the lack of control over icons," says Prof Bogad. "Their meaning can evolve and be repurposed."

For a long time, the popularity of Pepe meant that amphibian imagery were largely associated with the right. A transformation occurred on a day in October, when an incident between a protestor wearing a blow-up amphibian suit and a federal agent in Portland spread rapidly online.

The moment occurred shortly after a decision to send military personnel to the city, which was called "war-ravaged". Protesters began to assemble in large numbers on a single block, just outside of an immigration enforcement facility.

The situation was tense and an immigration officer sprayed a chemical agent at the individual, directing it into the air intake fan of the inflatable suit.

Seth Todd, Seth Todd, quipped, remarking he had tasted "something milder". But the incident became a sensation.

Mr Todd's attire was not too unusual for the city, known for its quirky culture and left-wing protests that embrace the absurd – outdoor exercise, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and nude cycling groups. A local saying is "Keep Portland Weird."

The costume became part of in subsequent court proceedings between the administration and Portland, which claimed the use of troops overstepped authority.

Although the court ruled in October that the president was within its rights to deploy troops, a dissenting judge wrote, noting in her opinion the protesters' "propensity for using unusual attire when expressing their disagreement."

"It is easy to see this decision, which accepts the government's characterization as a battlefield, as merely absurd," the dissenting judge opined. "However, this ruling is not merely absurd."

The action was "permanently" blocked subsequently, and personnel are said to have left the area.

But by then, the frog had transformed into a significant symbol of resistance for the left.

The inflatable suit was spotted nationwide at No Kings protests last autumn. There were frogs – along with other creatures – in major US cities. They were in small towns and global metropolises like Tokyo and London.

The inflatable suit was sold out on major websites, and became more expensive.

Controlling the Narrative

What connects both frogs together – lies in the dynamic between the humorous, benign cartoon and a deeper political meaning. This is what "tactical frivolity."

The tactic relies on what the professor terms the "irresistible image" – frequently absurd, it acts as a "appealing and non-threatening" performance that highlights a message without directly articulating them. This is the silly outfit you wear, or the symbol you share.

Mr Bogad is an analyst in the subject and an experienced participant. He's written a book on the subject, and taught workshops internationally.

"One can look back to historical periods – under oppressive regimes, absurd humor is used to express dissent a little bit and while maintaining a layer of protection."

The purpose of this approach is three-fold, he explains.

As activists confront the state, humorous attire {takes control of|seizes|influences