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This protest movement won't be televised, but it could have webbed feet and protruding eyes.

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

Whilst rallies opposing the government persist in American cities, participants have embraced the spirit of a local block party. They've offered salsa lessons, distributed snacks, and performed on unicycles, while officers observe.

Mixing comedy and political action – a strategy social scientists term "tactical frivolity" – isn't novel. But it has become a defining feature of protests in the United States in this period, used by various groups.

A specific icon has emerged as especially powerful – the frog. It originated after recordings of an encounter between a man in a frog suit and federal officers in the city of Portland, went viral. It subsequently appeared to demonstrations nationwide.

"There is much happening with that small inflatable frog," states LM Bogad, a professor at UC Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who focuses on performance art.

The Path From the Pepe Meme to Portland

It's challenging to examine demonstrations and amphibians without mentioning Pepe, a cartoon character adopted by far-right groups throughout a political race.

As the character gained popularity online, people used it to signal certain emotions. Later, it was utilized to express backing for a candidate, even a particular image endorsed by the candidate himself, depicting the frog with a signature suit and hair.

The frog was also portrayed in right-wing online communities in more extreme scenarios, as a historical dictator. Online conservatives traded "rare Pepes" and established cryptocurrency using its likeness. Its famous line, "feels good, man", was used a shared phrase.

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

Matt Furie, the illustrator, has expressed about his disapproval for how the image has been used. Pepe was supposed to be simply a "chill frog-dude" in his series.

This character first appeared in a series of comics in the mid-2000s – apolitical and best known for a particular bathroom habit. In a documentary, which documents Mr Furie's efforts to take back of his creation, he stated the character was inspired by his life with companions.

When he began, the artist tried sharing his art to early internet platforms, where the community began to borrow, remix and reinvent his character. As its popularity grew into the more extreme corners of the internet, Mr Furie tried to disavow his creation, including ending its life in a final panel.

But Pepe lived on.

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

Previously, the popularity of this meme meant that frogs were predominantly linked to conservative politics. This shifted in early October, when an incident between a protestor wearing a blow-up amphibian suit and a federal agent in Portland spread rapidly online.

This incident followed a decision to send the National Guard to Portland, which was called "a warzone". Activists began to assemble in large numbers on a single block, just outside of a federal building.

Tensions were high and a officer deployed a chemical agent at a protester, targeting the ventilation of the costume.

The protester, Seth Todd, reacted humorously, saying he had tasted "spicier tamales". Yet the footage became a sensation.

The frog suit was somewhat typical for the city, known for its eccentric vibe and left-wing protests that revel in the absurd – public yoga, retro fitness classes, and nude cycling groups. Its creed is "Embrace the Strange."

The frog even played a role in a lawsuit between the administration and Portland, which argued the deployment overstepped authority.

While a judge decided that month that the administration had the right to deploy troops, one judge dissented, noting in her opinion the protesters' "known tendency for wearing chicken suits when expressing opposition."

"It is easy to see the court's opinion, which adopts the government's characterization as a war zone, as simply ridiculous," the dissenting judge opined. "But today's decision has serious implications."

The deployment was halted by courts just a month later, and troops are said to have left the city.

But by then, the frog was now a potent anti-administration symbol for progressive movements.

The inflatable suit was spotted nationwide at No Kings protests recently. Amphibian costumes were present – and unicorns and axolotls and dinosaurs – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They appeared in small towns and big international cities like Tokyo and London.

The inflatable suit was in high demand on online retailers, and rose in price.

Controlling the Visual Story

What brings the two amphibian symbols – is the relationship between the humorous, benign cartoon and underlying political significance. This concept is "tactical frivolity."

The tactic is based on what the professor terms the "irresistible image" – usually humorous, it's a "appealing and non-threatening" display that draws focus to your ideas without needing obviously explaining them. It's the unusual prop used, or the meme circulated.

Mr Bogad is an analyst on this topic and someone who uses these tactics. He's written a text called 'Tactical Performance', and taught workshops around the world.

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

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

As protesters take on the state, humorous attire {takes control of|seizes|influences