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This protest movement isn't broadcast, yet it might possess amphibious toes and large eyes.

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

As protests against the leadership persist in American cities, participants are adopting the vibe of a local block party. They've offered salsa lessons, distributed snacks, and ridden unicycles, as police look on.

Blending levity and political action – an approach social scientists term "tactical frivolity" – isn't novel. But it has become a signature characteristic of protests in the United States in recent years, embraced by various groups.

A specific icon has risen to become especially powerful – the frog. It began after video footage of an encounter between a man in a frog suit and federal officers in Portland, Oregon, spread online. And it has since spread to protests nationwide.

"There's a lot going on with that little blow-up amphibian," says an expert, a professor at UC Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who specialises in creative activism.

From Pepe to Portland

It's challenging to talk about demonstrations and amphibians without addressing Pepe, a cartoon character embraced by far-right groups during an election cycle.

Initially, when this image first took off on the internet, people used it to signal specific feelings. Subsequently, its use evolved to express backing for a political figure, including a particular image retweeted by that figure personally, showing the frog with recognizable attire and hairstyle.

Pepe was also depicted in digital spaces in offensive ways, as a historical dictator. Participants traded "unique frog images" and set up digital currency in his name. His catchphrase, "that feels good", became a coded signal.

Yet its beginnings were not this divisive.

Matt Furie, artist Matt Furie, has stated about his disapproval for how the image has been used. His creation was meant as simply a "chill frog-dude" in this artist's universe.

Pepe debuted in comic strips in the mid-2000s – apolitical and notable for a particular bathroom habit. A film, which documents Mr Furie's efforts to wrest back control of his work, he stated his drawing was inspired by his time with friends and roommates.

Early in his career, Mr Furie experimented with sharing his art to the nascent social web, where people online began to copy, alter, and reinterpret his character. As its popularity grew into the more extreme corners of online spaces, the creator attempted to distance himself from the frog, including ending its life in a final panel.

But Pepe lived on.

"It shows that creators cannot own symbols," says the professor. "They transform and be reclaimed."

Until recently, the notoriety of this meme meant that amphibian imagery became a symbol for conservative politics. A transformation occurred on a day in October, when an incident between a protestor wearing an inflatable frog costume and an immigration officer in Portland captured global attention.

The moment followed a directive to send military personnel to Portland, which was described as "war-ravaged". Protesters began to congregate outside a facility, near an immigration enforcement facility.

Tensions were high and an agent used a chemical agent at the individual, targeting the air intake fan of the puffy frog costume.

Seth Todd, Seth Todd, reacted humorously, stating it tasted like "spicier tamales". But the incident went viral.

The frog suit was not too unusual for Portland, renowned for its unconventional spirit and left-wing protests that delight in the unusual – outdoor exercise, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and unique parades. A local saying is "Embrace the Strange."

This symbol became part of in subsequent court proceedings between the administration and Portland, which claimed the use of troops was unlawful.

Although a judge decided in October that the administration was within its rights to deploy troops, a minority opinion disagreed, referencing in her ruling demonstrators' "known tendency for wearing chicken suits when expressing their disagreement."

"It is easy to see this decision, which accepts the government's characterization as a war zone, as simply ridiculous," the dissenting judge wrote. "Yet the outcome goes beyond absurdity."

The order was halted by courts subsequently, and personnel have reportedly departed the city.

However, by that time, the amphibian costume was now a powerful protest icon for progressive movements.

This symbol was spotted in many cities at anti-authoritarian protests last autumn. Amphibian costumes were present – along with other creatures – in major US cities. They appeared in small towns and global metropolises abroad.

This item was sold out on major websites, and rose in price.

Controlling the Narrative

What connects the two amphibian symbols – lies in the dynamic between the humorous, benign cartoon and underlying political significance. This concept is "tactical frivolity."

The strategy relies on what the professor calls a "disarming display" – often silly, it's a "disarming and charming" act that highlights a message without needing directly articulating them. This is the unusual prop you wear, or the meme you share.

Mr Bogad is an analyst in the subject and an experienced participant. He authored a book on the subject, and taught workshops around the world.

"You could go back to historical periods – when people are dominated, absurd humor is used to speak the truth a little bit and while maintaining plausible deniability."

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

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