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This protest movement won't be televised, yet it might possess webbed feet and bulging eyes.

Additionally, it could include the horn of a unicorn or a chicken's feathers.

Whilst protests against the leadership continue in US cities, demonstrators are utilizing the energy of a neighborhood dress-up party. They've provided dance instruction, handed out treats, and ridden unicycles, as officers look on.

Combining comedy and politics – an approach researchers term "tactical frivolity" – is not new. However, it has emerged as a defining feature of US demonstrations in recent years, used by all sides of the political spectrum.

A specific icon has risen to become notably significant – the frog. It started after video footage of a clash between a man in an amphibian costume and ICE agents in Portland, Oregon, became an internet sensation. From there, it proliferated to protests across the country.

"There's a lot going on with that little inflatable frog," says LM Bogad, a professor at UC Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who specialises in creative activism.

From a Cartoon Frog to the Streets of Portland

It's challenging to discuss demonstrations and amphibians without mentioning Pepe, a web comic frog adopted by extremist movements during a political race.

Initially, when the meme gained popularity on the internet, its purpose was to signal certain emotions. Later, it was utilized to express backing for a political figure, including a particular image shared by that figure personally, portraying Pepe with a signature suit and hair.

Pepe was also depicted in digital spaces in darker contexts, as a hate group member. Participants exchanged "rare Pepes" and set up cryptocurrency in his name. His catchphrase, "that feels good", was used a shared phrase.

But the character did not originate this divisive.

Matt Furie, artist Matt Furie, has expressed about his disapproval for its co-option. The character was intended as simply an apolitical figure in this artist's universe.

This character first appeared in an online comic in the mid-2000s – non-political and notable for a quirky behavior. A film, which chronicles Mr Furie's efforts to wrest back control of his work, he said his drawing came from his experiences with companions.

Early in his career, Mr Furie experimented with sharing his art to the nascent social web, where the community began to copy, alter, and reinterpret the frog. When the meme proliferated into fringe areas of online spaces, Mr Furie sought to reject the frog, including ending its life in a final panel.

Yet the frog persisted.

"It shows that creators cannot own icons," states Prof Bogad. "They can change and shift and be repurposed."

Previously, the popularity of this meme resulted in amphibian imagery were predominantly linked to conservative politics. A transformation occurred recently, when an incident between a protestor wearing an inflatable frog costume and an immigration officer in Portland spread rapidly online.

This incident came just days after a directive to send military personnel to the city, which was described as "a warzone". Demonstrators began to congregate on a single block, just outside of a federal building.

The situation was tense and an immigration officer sprayed a chemical agent at a protester, directing it into the ventilation of the puffy frog costume.

The individual, the man in the costume, reacted humorously, saying he had tasted "something milder". Yet the footage went viral.

The costume fit right in for Portland, famous for its unconventional spirit and left-wing protests that delight in the absurd – public yoga, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and unique parades. A local saying is "Keep Portland Weird."

The frog even played a role in a lawsuit between the federal government and Portland, which claimed the deployment overstepped authority.

Although a judge decided in October that the president was within its rights to deploy troops, a minority opinion disagreed, referencing in her ruling demonstrators' "well-known penchant for using unusual attire when expressing dissent."

"Observers may be tempted the majority's ruling, which adopts the government's characterization as a battlefield, as merely absurd," she stated. "However, this ruling is not merely absurd."

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

However, by that time, the frog had become a significant symbol of resistance for the left.

The inflatable suit was spotted nationwide at anti-authoritarian protests that fall. Amphibian costumes were present – along with other creatures – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They appeared in rural communities and global metropolises like Tokyo and London.

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

Shaping the Optics

What connects both frogs together – lies in the interplay between the humorous, benign cartoon and underlying political significance. This is what "tactical frivolity."

The tactic is based on what the professor terms the "irresistible image" – often silly, it's a "appealing and non-threatening" act that draws focus to a message without needing obviously explaining them. This is the unusual prop you wear, or the symbol circulated.

Mr Bogad is an analyst in the subject and a veteran practitioner. He's written a text called 'Tactical Performance', and led seminars around the world.

"One can look back to historical periods – under oppressive regimes, absurd humor is used to express dissent indirectly and still have a layer of protection."

The purpose of such tactics is three-fold, Mr Bogad explains.

When activists take on a powerful opposition, a silly costume {takes control of|seizes|influences