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The protest movement isn't broadcast, yet it might possess webbed feet and protruding eyes.

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

As demonstrations against the government persist in US cities, participants have embraced the energy of a neighborhood dress-up party. They have taught salsa lessons, distributed snacks, and performed on unicycles, as police watch.

Mixing comedy and politics – a strategy social scientists call "tactical frivolity" – isn't novel. But it has become a defining feature of protests in the United States in recent years, adopted by all sides of the political spectrum.

A specific icon has emerged as especially powerful – the frog. It started after a video of an encounter between a man in an inflatable frog and immigration enforcement agents in the city of Portland, went viral. From there, it proliferated to demonstrations nationwide.

"A great deal at play with that small inflatable frog," states a professor, a professor at UC Davis and an academic who focuses on performance art.

The Path From the Pepe Meme to the Streets of Portland

It is difficult to talk about demonstrations and amphibians without talking about Pepe, a cartoon character embraced by extremist movements throughout a political race.

Initially, when the character gained popularity online, its purpose was to signal certain emotions. Subsequently, it was utilized to endorse a political figure, even a particular image retweeted by the candidate himself, showing Pepe with a signature suit and hair.

Images also circulated in right-wing online communities in offensive ways, as a historical dictator. Participants exchanged "rare Pepes" and established cryptocurrency in his name. Its famous line, "that feels good", was used a shared phrase.

Yet the character did not originate so controversial.

Its creator, the illustrator, has stated about his unhappiness for its appropriation. The character was intended as simply an apolitical figure in this artist's universe.

Pepe debuted in comic strips in 2005 – apolitical and best known for a quirky behavior. In a documentary, which chronicles the creator's attempt to wrest back control of his creation, he stated the character came from his time with companions.

Early in his career, Mr Furie experimented with sharing his art to early internet platforms, where people online 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 comic strip.

Yet the frog persisted.

"This demonstrates that creators cannot own symbols," says the professor. "Their meaning can evolve and be repurposed."

Previously, the popularity of Pepe meant that frogs became a symbol for conservative politics. This shifted recently, when a viral moment between an activist wearing an inflatable frog costume and a federal agent in Portland, Oregon spread rapidly online.

This incident followed a decision to send military personnel to Portland, which was described as "a warzone". Demonstrators began to congregate on a single block, just outside of an ICE office.

Emotions ran high and an immigration officer deployed a chemical agent at the individual, targeting the air intake fan of the puffy frog costume.

The individual, the man in the costume, reacted humorously, saying it tasted like "something milder". However, the video went viral.

Mr Todd's attire was somewhat typical for the city, famous for its eccentric vibe 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."

This symbol even played a role in a lawsuit between the federal government and the city, which claimed the deployment was illegal.

Although a ruling was issued in October that the administration had the right to deploy troops, a dissenting judge wrote, noting in her opinion the protesters' "well-known penchant for wearing chicken suits when expressing their disagreement."

"It is easy to see the court's opinion, which accepts the government's characterization as a battlefield, as merely absurd," Judge Susan Graber opined. "However, this ruling goes beyond absurdity."

The deployment was stopped legally soon after, and personnel are said to have left the city.

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

The inflatable suit was seen across the country at No Kings protests recently. Frogs appeared – and unicorns and axolotls and dinosaurs – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They were in small towns and global metropolises abroad.

The inflatable suit was in high demand on major websites, and became more expensive.

Mastering the Narrative

What brings Pepe and the protest frog – is the relationship between the silly, innocent image and serious intent. This concept is "tactical frivolity."

This approach is based on what the professor calls the "irresistible image" – often silly, it's a "disarming and charming" display that draws focus to your ideas without obviously explaining them. This is the unusual prop you wear, or the symbol circulated.

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

"You could go back to the Middle Ages – when people are dominated, absurd humor is used to speak the truth a little bit and still have a layer of protection."

The purpose of this approach is multi-faceted, he explains.

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