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The protest movement won't be broadcast, yet it might possess amphibious toes and protruding eyes.

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

As protests opposing the leadership persist in US cities, protesters have embraced the spirit of a neighborhood dress-up party. They've offered dance instruction, distributed treats, and ridden unicycles, as officers observe.

Combining comedy and politics – a tactic researchers refer to as "tactical frivolity" – is not new. Yet it has transformed into a signature characteristic of US demonstrations in this period, adopted by various groups.

A specific icon has emerged as especially powerful – the frog. It began after a video of a confrontation between a protester in a frog suit and immigration enforcement agents in Portland, Oregon, became an internet sensation. And it has since spread to rallies across the country.

"A great deal at play with that humble inflatable frog," states a professor, a professor at University of California, Davis and an academic who specialises in performance art.

From the Pepe Meme to Portland

It's challenging to talk about protests and frogs without mentioning Pepe, an illustrated figure embraced by far-right groups throughout a political race.

When the character first took off online, its purpose was to convey specific feelings. Later, it was utilized to endorse a political figure, even one notable meme shared by the candidate himself, portraying the frog with a signature suit and hair.

Images also circulated in certain internet forums in darker contexts, as a hate group member. Users traded "rare Pepes" and set up cryptocurrency in his name. His catchphrase, "feels good, man", was deployed a coded signal.

Yet the character did not originate as a political symbol.

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

Pepe debuted in comic strips in the mid-2000s – non-political and best known for a particular bathroom habit. A film, which follows Mr Furie's efforts to wrest back control of his creation, he said his drawing came from his experiences with companions.

As he started out, the artist tried sharing his art to new websites, where other users began to borrow, remix and reinvent his character. As Pepe spread into the more extreme corners of the internet, the creator attempted to distance himself from his creation, even killing him off in a final panel.

But Pepe lived on.

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

Until recently, the notoriety of this meme resulted in frogs were predominantly linked to conservative politics. But that changed in early October, when a viral moment between an activist wearing a blow-up amphibian suit and an immigration officer in Portland spread rapidly online.

The event occurred shortly after a decision to send military personnel to the city, which was called "war-ravaged". Protesters began to assemble in large numbers at a specific location, just outside of an immigration enforcement facility.

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

The individual, the man in the costume, responded with a joke, saying he had tasted "something milder". But the incident spread everywhere.

The frog suit was somewhat typical for Portland, known for its quirky culture and activist demonstrations that delight in the ridiculous – public yoga, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and unique parades. Its creed is "Keep Portland Weird."

The frog even played a role in a lawsuit between the federal government and the city, which argued the deployment was unlawful.

Although a ruling was issued that month that the president had the right to deploy troops, one judge dissented, referencing in her ruling the protesters' "well-known penchant for wearing chicken suits when expressing dissent."

"Some might view this decision, which adopts the government's characterization as a war zone, as merely absurd," the dissenting judge wrote. "But today's decision has serious implications."

The order was stopped legally soon after, and troops have reportedly departed the area.

Yet already, the frog had transformed into a significant protest icon for the left.

The inflatable suit was spotted across the country at No Kings protests that fall. Frogs appeared – along with other creatures – in major US cities. They were in rural communities and big international cities abroad.

The inflatable suit was sold out on major websites, and became more expensive.

Mastering the Narrative

The link between both frogs together – is the relationship between the humorous, benign cartoon and underlying political significance. This concept is "tactical frivolity."

The strategy relies on what Mr Bogad calls the "irresistible image" – frequently absurd, it's a "disarming and charming" act that draws focus to a message without needing obviously explaining them. It's the unusual prop used, or the symbol you share.

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

"One can look back to the Middle Ages – under oppressive regimes, they use absurdity to speak the truth indirectly and still have plausible deniability."

The theory of this approach is three-fold, he says.

When protesters confront the state, a silly costume {takes control of|seizes|influences