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

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

Whilst protests opposing the administration persist in American cities, protesters have embraced the energy of a local block party. They've provided dance instruction, handed out treats, and performed on unicycles, as officers watch.

Blending humour and politics – a strategy experts refer to as "tactical frivolity" – isn't novel. However, it has emerged as a defining feature of protests in the United States in this period, used by various groups.

A specific icon has risen to become especially powerful – the frog. It started when a video of a clash between an individual in an amphibian costume and immigration enforcement agents in Portland, Oregon, went viral. It subsequently appeared to demonstrations nationwide.

"There is much going on with that humble inflatable frog," notes a professor, a professor at University of California, Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who studies performance art.

From the Pepe Meme to Portland

It is difficult to talk about protests and frogs without mentioning Pepe, a cartoon character embraced by far-right groups throughout a previous presidential campaign.

As the meme initially spread on the internet, its purpose was to express specific feelings. Subsequently, it was utilized to express backing for a political figure, including a particular image retweeted by that figure personally, portraying the frog with recognizable attire and hairstyle.

Images also circulated in certain internet forums in offensive ways, as a historical dictator. Participants traded "unique frog images" and set up digital currency using its likeness. His catchphrase, "that feels good", was used a shared phrase.

But Pepe didn't start out so controversial.

Matt Furie, artist Matt Furie, has been vocal about his disapproval for its appropriation. Pepe was supposed to be simply an apolitical figure in his series.

Pepe debuted in an online comic in the mid-2000s – apolitical and notable for a quirky behavior. In a documentary, which chronicles the creator's attempt to reclaim ownership of his work, he said his drawing came from his time with friends and roommates.

When he began, the artist experimented with sharing his art to the nascent social web, where the community began to copy, alter, and reinterpret his character. When the meme proliferated into darker parts of the internet, Mr Furie tried to disavow his creation, even killing him off in a final panel.

However, its legacy continued.

"It shows that we don't control icons," says the professor. "They transform and be reworked."

Until recently, the popularity of Pepe meant that amphibian imagery were predominantly linked to conservative politics. This shifted in early October, when a confrontation between a protestor wearing a blow-up amphibian suit and a federal agent in Portland captured global attention.

The event occurred shortly after a decision to deploy military personnel to Portland, which was described as "war-ravaged". Protesters began to congregate at a specific location, near an ICE office.

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

The individual, Seth Todd, reacted humorously, remarking he had tasted "spicier tamales". But the incident spread everywhere.

Mr Todd's attire was somewhat typical for Portland, famous for its eccentric vibe and activist demonstrations that embrace the ridiculous – public yoga, retro fitness classes, and unique parades. A local saying is "Embrace the Strange."

The frog became part of in a lawsuit between the federal government and the city, which claimed the deployment was illegal.

Although the court ruled that month that the president was within its rights to deploy troops, one judge dissented, noting in her opinion the protesters' "propensity for donning inflatable costumes when expressing their disagreement."

"It is easy to see the majority's ruling, which adopts the government's characterization as a battlefield, as simply ridiculous," she opined. "However, this ruling is not merely absurd."

The action was stopped legally subsequently, and personnel have reportedly departed the area.

But by then, the amphibian costume was now a powerful anti-administration symbol for progressive movements.

This symbol appeared across the country at anti-authoritarian protests last autumn. There were frogs – along with other creatures – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They were in rural communities and global metropolises like Tokyo and London.

This item was sold out on online retailers, and saw its cost increase.

Shaping the Narrative

What connects Pepe and the protest frog – is the dynamic between the silly, innocent image and a deeper political meaning. Experts call this "tactical frivolity."

This approach relies on what the professor terms the "irresistible image" – often silly, it's a "appealing and non-threatening" act that draws focus to your ideas without needing explicitly stating them. It's the silly outfit you wear, or the symbol circulated.

The professor is both an expert in the subject and an experienced participant. He's written a text called 'Tactical Performance', and led seminars around the world.

"You could go back to the Middle Ages – when people are dominated, they use absurdity to express dissent a little bit and while maintaining a layer of protection."

The theory of such tactics is multi-faceted, he explains.

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