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

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

While rallies opposing the government continue in American cities, participants are utilizing the vibe of a local block party. They have taught dance instruction, distributed snacks, and performed on unicycles, while police look on.

Mixing comedy and politics – a strategy experts term "tactical frivolity" – is not new. Yet it has transformed into a signature characteristic of protests in the United States in the current era, used by various groups.

A specific icon has risen to become especially powerful – the frog. It started after recordings of a confrontation between a protester in a frog suit and ICE agents in Portland, Oregon, became an internet sensation. From there, it proliferated to rallies nationwide.

"A great deal going on with that small blow-up amphibian," states LM Bogad, who teaches at University of California, Davis and an academic who specialises in creative activism.

From a Cartoon Frog to the Streets of Portland

It is difficult to discuss demonstrations and amphibians without addressing Pepe, a cartoon character embraced by far-right groups throughout a previous presidential campaign.

As the character first took off online, its purpose was to convey specific feelings. Afterwards, it was deployed to express backing for a political figure, even a particular image shared by that figure personally, depicting the frog with a signature suit and hair.

Images also circulated in right-wing online communities in more extreme scenarios, as a historical dictator. Users exchanged "unique frog images" and set up cryptocurrency in his name. His catchphrase, "feels good, man", became a shared phrase.

However Pepe didn't start out as a political symbol.

Its creator, the illustrator, has stated about his disapproval for how the image has been used. Pepe was supposed to be simply an apolitical figure in his series.

The frog debuted in an online comic in the mid-2000s – apolitical and famous for a quirky behavior. In a documentary, which documents Mr Furie's efforts to wrest back control of his creation, he stated his drawing was inspired by his life with friends and roommates.

As he started out, the artist experimented with sharing his art to new websites, where other users began to copy, alter, and reinterpret the frog. When the meme proliferated into fringe areas of the internet, Mr Furie attempted to distance himself from the frog, even killing him off in a final panel.

But Pepe lived on.

"This demonstrates that we don't control icons," states the professor. "They transform and be reworked."

For a long time, the notoriety of Pepe meant that frogs became a symbol for the right. But that changed recently, when a viral moment between an activist wearing an inflatable frog costume and an immigration officer in Portland went viral.

The moment followed an order to send military personnel to Portland, which was called "war-ravaged". Protesters began to gather in droves at a specific location, just outside of a federal building.

Tensions were high and an agent sprayed a chemical agent at a protester, directing it into the air intake fan of the puffy frog costume.

Seth Todd, Seth Todd, responded with a joke, remarking it tasted like "spicier tamales". Yet the footage spread everywhere.

Mr Todd's attire fit right in for the city, renowned for its eccentric vibe and left-wing protests that delight in the unusual – outdoor exercise, retro fitness classes, and unique parades. A local saying is "Keep Portland Weird."

The costume was also referenced in subsequent court proceedings between the administration and Portland, which contended the use of troops overstepped authority.

Although the court ruled in October that the president had the right to deploy troops, one judge dissented, mentioning demonstrators' "propensity for donning inflatable costumes while voicing their disagreement."

"Observers may be tempted this decision, which adopts the description of Portland as a battlefield, as merely absurd," the dissenting judge opined. "But today's decision goes beyond absurdity."

The action was stopped legally subsequently, and personnel withdrew from the city.

However, by that time, the frog had transformed into a potent protest icon for the left.

This symbol was spotted nationwide at No Kings protests recently. Amphibian costumes were present – along with other creatures – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They were in small towns and global metropolises abroad.

This item was in high demand on major websites, and saw its cost increase.

Mastering the Optics

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

The strategy relies on what Mr Bogad terms the "irresistible image" – usually humorous, it acts as a "disarming and charming" performance that draws focus to a cause without needing directly articulating them. It's the unusual prop you wear, or the meme you share.

Mr Bogad is an analyst in the subject and an experienced participant. He's written a book on the subject, 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 still have plausible deniability."

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

As activists confront the state, a silly costume {takes control of|seizes|influences