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The protest movement won't be televised, though it may feature webbed feet and protruding eyes.

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

Whilst protests opposing the government persist in American cities, demonstrators are utilizing the vibe of a neighborhood dress-up party. They have taught salsa lessons, distributed snacks, and performed on unicycles, while armed law enforcement look on.

Blending comedy and political action – a strategy researchers term "tactical frivolity" – is not new. However, it has emerged as a signature characteristic of American protest in this period, embraced by both left and right.

A specific icon has emerged as particularly salient – the frog. It started after a video of a confrontation between a man in an amphibian costume and ICE agents in the city of Portland, went viral. From there, it proliferated to demonstrations throughout the United States.

"There's a lot going on with that humble blow-up amphibian," notes LM Bogad, a professor at University of California, Davis and an academic who focuses on performance art.

From a Cartoon Frog to the Streets of Portland

It's hard to examine demonstrations and amphibians without mentioning Pepe, a web comic frog embraced by online communities throughout a previous presidential campaign.

As this image initially spread on the internet, people used it to convey specific feelings. Subsequently, it was deployed to endorse a candidate, even a particular image shared by the candidate himself, showing Pepe with recognizable attire and hairstyle.

Images also circulated in certain internet forums in offensive ways, as a hate group member. Participants traded "rare Pepes" and set up digital currency in his name. His catchphrase, "feels good, man", was used a shared phrase.

However Pepe didn't start out this divisive.

Its creator, artist Matt Furie, has expressed about his distaste for how the image has been used. His creation was meant as simply a "chill frog-dude" in his comic world.

Pepe debuted in an online comic in the mid-2000s – apolitical and best known for a quirky behavior. In a documentary, which chronicles the creator's attempt to take back of his work, he stated the character came from his time with companions.

When he began, Mr Furie experimented with sharing his art to early internet platforms, where other users began to copy, alter, and reinterpret his character. When the meme proliferated into the more extreme corners of online spaces, Mr Furie attempted to distance himself from his creation, even killing him off in a comic strip.

Yet the frog persisted.

"It proves the lack of control over icons," says the professor. "Their meaning can evolve and be reclaimed."

For a long time, the popularity of this meme meant that amphibian imagery were largely associated with conservative politics. This shifted recently, when an incident between an activist wearing a blow-up amphibian suit and an immigration officer in Portland went viral.

The moment followed a decision to deploy military personnel to the city, which was described as "a warzone". Demonstrators began to congregate outside a facility, just outside of an ICE office.

The situation was tense and an agent deployed a chemical agent at the individual, targeting the ventilation of the inflatable suit.

The protester, the man in the costume, responded with a joke, stating it tasted like "spicier tamales". Yet the footage became a sensation.

Mr Todd's attire was somewhat typical for Portland, renowned for its eccentric vibe and activist demonstrations that embrace the unusual – outdoor exercise, retro fitness classes, and nude cycling groups. Its creed is "Embrace the Strange."

This symbol was also referenced in subsequent court proceedings between the administration and the city, which contended the deployment overstepped authority.

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

"It is easy to see the majority's ruling, which adopts the description of Portland as a war zone, as simply ridiculous," she stated. "But today's decision is not merely absurd."

The order was stopped legally soon after, and troops withdrew from the city.

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

The costume was spotted across the country at anti-authoritarian protests recently. Frogs appeared – and unicorns and axolotls and dinosaurs – in major US cities. They appeared in small towns and big international cities abroad.

The frog costume was in high demand on major websites, and rose in price.

Controlling the Narrative

The link between Pepe and the protest frog – is the dynamic between the humorous, benign cartoon and underlying political significance. This is what "tactical frivolity."

The strategy relies on what Mr Bogad terms the "irresistible image" – usually humorous, it's a "appealing and non-threatening" act that draws focus to a cause without needing directly articulating them. It's the silly outfit you wear, or the symbol you share.

The professor is an analyst in the subject and an experienced participant. He's written a text on the subject, and led seminars around the world.

"One can look back to historical periods – when people are dominated, they use absurdity to speak the truth indirectly and while maintaining a layer of protection."

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

When protesters confront the state, humorous attire {takes control of|seizes|influences