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This protest movement won't be broadcast, yet it might possess webbed feet and bulging eyes.

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

As rallies against the administration persist in American cities, participants are utilizing the energy of a neighborhood dress-up party. They've provided dance instruction, given away treats, and performed on unicycles, as police observe.

Blending comedy and political action – an approach experts refer to as "tactical frivolity" – has historical precedent. But it has become a defining feature of protests in the United States in recent years, adopted by both left and right.

And one symbol has risen to become especially powerful – the frog. It originated when video footage of a clash between an individual in an amphibian costume and federal officers in the city of Portland, became an internet sensation. From there, it proliferated to demonstrations across the country.

"A great deal going on with that little frog costume," states LM Bogad, who teaches at UC Davis and an academic who studies performance art.

The Path From Pepe to Portland

It's hard to examine protests and frogs without talking about Pepe, an illustrated figure co-opted by online communities throughout a previous presidential campaign.

As the meme gained popularity online, it was used to signal certain emotions. Afterwards, its use evolved to endorse a candidate, even one notable meme endorsed by that figure personally, depicting Pepe with a signature suit and hair.

Pepe was also depicted in right-wing online communities in more extreme scenarios, as a historical dictator. Participants exchanged "unique frog images" and established digital currency in his name. His catchphrase, "feels good, man", was deployed a shared phrase.

But the character did not originate so controversial.

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

This character first appeared in a series of comics in 2005 – apolitical and notable for a quirky behavior. In 'Feels Good Man', which follows the creator's attempt to reclaim ownership of his creation, he stated his drawing was inspired by his time with companions.

When he began, Mr Furie tried sharing his art to new websites, where other users began to copy, alter, and reinterpret the frog. When the meme proliferated into darker parts of the internet, Mr Furie attempted to distance himself from the frog, including ending its life in a comic strip.

Yet the frog persisted.

"It shows that we don't control imagery," says the professor. "They can change and shift and be reworked."

For a long time, the notoriety of Pepe meant that amphibian imagery were predominantly linked to the right. But that changed on a day in October, when an incident between a protestor wearing an inflatable frog costume and an immigration officer in Portland, Oregon captured global attention.

The moment followed an order to deploy military personnel to Portland, which was described as "war-ravaged". Protesters began to congregate outside a facility, near an ICE office.

Emotions ran high and an agent sprayed a chemical agent at a protester, directing it into the opening of the costume.

Seth Todd, Seth Todd, reacted humorously, stating it tasted like "spicier tamales". Yet the footage went viral.

The costume was not too unusual for the city, renowned for its eccentric vibe and activist demonstrations that delight in the unusual – public yoga, retro fitness classes, and unique parades. A local saying is "Keep Portland Weird."

The frog was also referenced in the ensuing legal battle between the federal government and the city, which contended the use of troops was unlawful.

While a ruling was issued that month that the administration had the right to send personnel, a dissenting judge wrote, mentioning the protesters' "well-known penchant for donning inflatable costumes while voicing dissent."

"Observers may be tempted the court's opinion, which adopts the description of Portland as a battlefield, as merely absurd," she stated. "But today's decision is not merely absurd."

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

However, by that time, the frog had become a potent protest icon for progressive movements.

The inflatable suit was seen across the country at anti-authoritarian protests recently. Frogs appeared – along with other creatures – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They appeared in rural communities and global metropolises like Tokyo and London.

The inflatable suit was in high demand on online retailers, and became more expensive.

Controlling the Optics

The link between both frogs together – is the dynamic between the silly, innocent image and a deeper political meaning. This is what "tactical frivolity."

This approach rests on what Mr Bogad terms a "disarming display" – frequently absurd, it's a "disarming and charming" display that calls attention to a cause without explicitly stating them. This is the unusual prop used, or the symbol circulated.

Mr Bogad is both an expert in the subject and a veteran practitioner. He authored a book on the subject, and led seminars around the world.

"You could go back to the Middle Ages – when people are dominated, they use absurdity to express dissent indirectly and while maintaining a layer of protection."

The purpose of such tactics is three-fold, he says.

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