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The protest movement may not be broadcast, but it could have webbed feet and bulging eyes.

Additionally, it could include a unicorn's horn or the plumage of a chicken.

As protests opposing the leadership persist in US cities, protesters have embraced the energy of a community costume parade. They have taught dance instruction, distributed snacks, and ridden unicycles, while armed law enforcement look on.

Mixing levity and political action – an approach experts call "tactical frivolity" – is not new. But it has become a defining feature of US demonstrations in recent years, embraced by both left and right.

One particular emblem has risen to become particularly salient – the frog. It began after recordings of an encounter between an individual in an amphibian costume and federal officers in Portland, Oregon, spread online. From there, it proliferated to rallies across the country.

"There's a lot going on with that little blow-up amphibian," notes an expert, a professor at UC Davis and an academic who studies political performance.

From the Pepe Meme to Portland

It's challenging to talk about demonstrations and amphibians without addressing Pepe, an illustrated figure co-opted by far-right groups during a previous presidential campaign.

As the character gained popularity on the internet, people used it to express certain emotions. Afterwards, it was deployed to endorse a candidate, including a particular image shared by the candidate himself, portraying Pepe with a signature suit and hair.

Pepe was also depicted in certain internet forums in more extreme scenarios, as a historical dictator. Participants exchanged "unique frog images" and set up cryptocurrency in his name. His catchphrase, "feels good, man", was used an inside joke.

But its beginnings were not this divisive.

Matt Furie, artist Matt Furie, has stated about his unhappiness for its appropriation. Pepe was supposed to be simply an apolitical figure in this artist's universe.

This character first appeared in comic strips in 2005 – apolitical and notable for a particular bathroom habit. In 'Feels Good Man', which chronicles Mr Furie's efforts to take back of his work, he said his drawing came from his experiences with friends and roommates.

As he started out, Mr Furie experimented with uploading his work to the nascent social web, where the community began to borrow, remix and reinvent his character. As its popularity grew into the more extreme corners of online spaces, the creator sought to reject the frog, including ending its life in a final panel.

But Pepe lived on.

"It proves the lack of control over imagery," says the professor. "They can change and shift and be reworked."

Previously, the association of this meme resulted in amphibian imagery were predominantly linked to conservative politics. A transformation occurred in early October, when an incident between a protestor wearing a blow-up amphibian suit and a federal agent in Portland captured global attention.

This incident came just days after a decision to deploy the National Guard to the city, which was called "war-ravaged". Demonstrators began to assemble in large numbers at a specific location, just outside of a federal building.

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

Seth Todd, Seth Todd, responded with a joke, saying it tasted like "spicier tamales". Yet the footage became a sensation.

The frog suit was somewhat typical for the city, renowned for its unconventional spirit and activist demonstrations that revel in the absurd – outdoor exercise, retro fitness classes, and nude cycling groups. A local saying is "Embrace the Strange."

The frog was also referenced in a lawsuit between the administration and Portland, which claimed the use of troops overstepped authority.

While the court ruled that month that the administration was within its rights to send personnel, one judge dissented, referencing in her ruling the protesters' "propensity for wearing chicken suits while voicing their disagreement."

"It is easy to see this decision, which accepts the description of Portland as a war zone, as simply ridiculous," the dissenting judge opined. "Yet the outcome goes beyond absurdity."

The order was halted by courts just a month later, and personnel withdrew from the city.

Yet already, the frog was now a significant symbol of resistance for the left.

The inflatable suit was seen in many cities at anti-authoritarian protests recently. Frogs appeared – along with other creatures – in major US cities. They appeared in rural communities and global metropolises abroad.

The frog costume was sold out on online retailers, and saw its cost increase.

Shaping the Visual Story

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

This approach relies on what the professor calls the "irresistible image" – frequently absurd, it's a "appealing and non-threatening" display that draws focus to your ideas without needing directly articulating them. It's the unusual prop you wear, or the symbol you share.

The professor is an analyst in the subject and a veteran practitioner. He's written a text called 'Tactical Performance', and led seminars internationally.

"You could go back to historical periods – when people are dominated, they use absurdity to speak the truth indirectly and still have a layer of protection."

The theory of this approach is three-fold, Mr Bogad explains.

When activists confront a powerful opposition, a silly costume {takes control of|seizes|influences