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The protest movement won't be televised, but it could have amphibious toes and large eyes.

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

Whilst rallies opposing the leadership carry on in American cities, participants are utilizing the vibe of a neighborhood dress-up party. They've offered dance instruction, distributed snacks, and ridden unicycles, while armed law enforcement look on.

Blending comedy and political action – a tactic experts refer to as "tactical frivolity" – has historical precedent. But it has become a hallmark of protests in the United States in recent years, adopted by various groups.

A specific icon has proven to be notably significant – the frog. It originated after video footage of an encounter between an individual in an amphibian costume and federal officers in Portland, Oregon, went viral. And it has since spread to protests throughout the United States.

"A great deal happening with that humble blow-up amphibian," states a professor, a professor at University of California, Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who focuses on political performance.

The Path From Pepe to the Streets of Portland

It's hard to talk about demonstrations and amphibians without mentioning Pepe, an illustrated figure co-opted by online communities during a previous presidential campaign.

As the meme first took off on the internet, people used it to signal certain emotions. Subsequently, its use evolved to endorse a political figure, even a particular image shared by the candidate himself, portraying Pepe with a signature suit and hair.

Images also circulated in digital spaces in more extreme scenarios, as a hate group member. Participants exchanged "rare Pepes" and set up digital currency in his name. Its famous line, "that feels good", was deployed an inside joke.

But the character did not originate as a political symbol.

Matt Furie, artist Matt Furie, has stated about his distaste for its appropriation. The character was intended as simply an apolitical figure in his series.

Pepe debuted in comic strips in 2005 – non-political and best known for a quirky behavior. A film, which documents Mr Furie's efforts to take back of his work, he said the character was inspired by his experiences with companions.

Early in his career, the artist experimented with sharing his art to new websites, where people online began to copy, alter, and reinterpret his character. As its popularity grew into fringe areas of online spaces, Mr Furie tried to disavow the frog, including ending its life in a final panel.

Yet the frog persisted.

"This demonstrates that we don't control imagery," explains the professor. "They transform and be reclaimed."

For a long time, the popularity of Pepe meant that amphibian imagery became a symbol for the right. But that changed recently, when an incident between a protestor dressed in an inflatable frog costume and a federal agent in Portland, Oregon captured global attention.

The moment followed an order to deploy military personnel to the city, which was described as "a warzone". Activists began to assemble in large numbers at a specific location, just outside of a federal building.

Emotions ran high and a officer sprayed irritant at a protester, aiming directly into the air intake fan of the inflatable suit.

The individual, Seth Todd, responded with a joke, stating he had tasted "spicier tamales". However, the video became a sensation.

The frog suit was somewhat typical for the city, renowned for its quirky culture and left-wing protests that revel in the ridiculous – outdoor exercise, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and unique parades. The city's unofficial motto is "Keep Portland Weird."

This symbol even played a role in subsequent court proceedings between the administration and the city, which argued the deployment was unlawful.

While a ruling was issued that month that the president was within its rights to deploy troops, a minority opinion disagreed, noting in her opinion demonstrators' "known tendency for donning inflatable costumes when expressing opposition."

"Observers may be tempted the court's opinion, which accepts the government's characterization as a battlefield, as simply ridiculous," she opined. "Yet the outcome goes beyond absurdity."

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

Yet already, the frog had become a potent anti-administration symbol for the left.

The costume appeared in many cities at No Kings protests that fall. There were frogs – along with other creatures – in major US cities. They were in small towns and global metropolises abroad.

This item was backordered on online retailers, and became more expensive.

Shaping the Optics

What brings the two amphibian symbols – is the dynamic between the silly, innocent image and serious intent. Experts call this "tactical frivolity."

The tactic relies on what the professor calls a "disarming display" – usually humorous, it acts as a "appealing and non-threatening" display that calls attention to a cause without needing directly articulating them. It's the unusual prop you wear, or the meme you share.

The professor is an analyst on this topic and a veteran practitioner. He authored a book called 'Tactical Performance', and led seminars internationally.

"You could go back to the Middle Ages – when people are dominated, absurd humor is used to express dissent indirectly and while maintaining plausible deniability."

The purpose of such tactics is multi-faceted, Mr Bogad says.

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