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This protest movement isn't televised, yet it might possess webbed feet and large eyes.

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

While rallies against the leadership continue in US cities, demonstrators are utilizing the energy of a local block party. They have taught salsa lessons, distributed snacks, and ridden unicycles, while officers observe.

Blending levity and political action – a strategy social scientists term "tactical frivolity" – is not new. However, it has emerged as a signature characteristic of American protest in recent years, adopted by all sides of the political spectrum.

A specific icon has emerged as notably significant – the frog. It started after a video of a confrontation between a man in an amphibian costume and federal officers in the city of Portland, went viral. From there, it proliferated to demonstrations nationwide.

"There's a lot happening with that little inflatable frog," states LM Bogad, who teaches at UC Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who specialises in performance art.

From a Cartoon Frog to Portland

It's hard to discuss protests and frogs without talking about Pepe, an illustrated figure embraced by extremist movements during a previous presidential campaign.

As this image gained popularity online, people used it to convey specific feelings. Subsequently, its use evolved to endorse a candidate, including one notable meme shared by that figure personally, depicting the frog with recognizable attire and hairstyle.

The frog was also portrayed in right-wing online communities in darker contexts, as a historical dictator. Participants traded "rare Pepes" and established cryptocurrency using its likeness. Its famous line, "that feels good", became an inside joke.

But its beginnings were not as a political symbol.

Matt Furie, artist Matt Furie, has stated about his unhappiness for its co-option. The character was intended as simply a "chill frog-dude" in this artist's universe.

The frog first appeared in a series of comics in the mid-2000s – apolitical and famous for a quirky behavior. In a documentary, which documents Mr Furie's efforts to reclaim ownership of his creation, he stated his drawing came from his time with friends and roommates.

Early in his career, Mr Furie tried sharing his art to new websites, where the community began to copy, alter, and reinterpret the frog. When the meme proliferated into fringe areas of the internet, Mr Furie sought to reject the frog, including ending its life in a final panel.

However, its legacy continued.

"It shows that creators cannot own icons," says Prof Bogad. "Their meaning can evolve and be reclaimed."

For a long time, the notoriety of Pepe meant that amphibian imagery were predominantly linked to conservative politics. A transformation occurred on a day in October, when a viral moment between an activist dressed in a blow-up amphibian suit and a federal agent in Portland, Oregon captured global attention.

The event occurred shortly after a directive to send military personnel to Portland, which was described as "a warzone". Demonstrators began to gather in droves on a single block, near an immigration enforcement facility.

Tensions were high and an agent used a chemical agent at a protester, aiming directly into the opening of the costume.

The individual, the man in the costume, quipped, saying he had tasted "spicier tamales". Yet the footage went viral.

The costume fit right in for Portland, known for its eccentric vibe and activist demonstrations that revel in the absurd – outdoor exercise, retro fitness classes, and nude cycling groups. A local saying is "Embrace the Strange."

This symbol was also referenced in a lawsuit between the federal government and the city, which claimed the use of troops was illegal.

Although a judge decided in October that the administration was within its rights to deploy troops, a minority opinion disagreed, mentioning the protesters' "propensity for using unusual attire while voicing opposition."

"Observers may be tempted this decision, which adopts the description of Portland as a battlefield, as simply ridiculous," Judge Susan Graber opined. "Yet the outcome has serious implications."

The order was "permanently" blocked soon after, and personnel are said to have left the area.

However, by that time, the amphibian costume was now a powerful symbol of resistance for the left.

The inflatable suit was spotted in many cities at No Kings protests recently. Frogs appeared – along with other creatures – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They were in rural communities and global metropolises like Tokyo and London.

This item was in high demand on online retailers, and rose in price.

Mastering the Optics

The link between Pepe and the protest frog – is the dynamic between the silly, innocent image and a deeper political meaning. Experts call this "tactical frivolity."

This approach rests on what the professor terms a "disarming display" – often silly, it's a "disarming and charming" act that calls attention to a message without needing explicitly stating them. It's the silly outfit used, or the symbol circulated.

Mr Bogad is both an expert on this topic and a veteran practitioner. He's written a book called 'Tactical Performance', and led seminars internationally.

"You could go back to the Middle Ages – under oppressive regimes, they use absurdity to speak the truth a little bit and while maintaining a layer of protection."

The purpose of this approach is multi-faceted, Mr Bogad explains.

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