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This protest movement won't be televised, but it could have webbed feet and large eyes.

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

While rallies opposing the leadership continue in American cities, participants are utilizing the spirit of a neighborhood dress-up party. They have taught dance instruction, given away snacks, and ridden unicycles, as police watch.

Blending levity and political action – a tactic researchers refer to as "tactical frivolity" – has historical precedent. Yet it has transformed into a signature characteristic of US demonstrations in this period, adopted by both left and right.

One particular emblem has emerged as especially powerful – the frog. It started when video footage of a clash between a protester in an inflatable frog and federal officers in the city of Portland, spread online. From there, it proliferated to protests nationwide.

"A great deal at play with that small frog costume," says LM Bogad, a professor at University of California, Davis and an academic who focuses on political performance.

From Pepe to Portland

It's hard to examine demonstrations and amphibians without mentioning Pepe, a cartoon character embraced by far-right groups throughout an election cycle.

When the meme first took off on the internet, it was used to express certain emotions. Later, its use evolved to express backing for a political figure, even one notable meme shared by that figure personally, portraying the frog with a signature suit and hair.

Images also circulated in digital spaces in darker contexts, portrayed as a historical dictator. Online conservatives exchanged "unique frog images" and set up digital currency using its likeness. His catchphrase, "that feels good", became a shared phrase.

Yet its beginnings were not as a political symbol.

The artist behind it, artist Matt Furie, has expressed about his unhappiness for its co-option. His creation was meant as simply an apolitical figure in his comic world.

This character debuted in a series of comics in the mid-2000s – non-political and famous for a quirky behavior. In 'Feels Good Man', which documents the creator's attempt to wrest back control of his creation, he stated the character was inspired by his experiences with friends and roommates.

As he started out, the artist experimented with sharing his art to new websites, where people online began to borrow, remix and reinvent the frog. As its popularity grew into fringe areas of the internet, the creator sought to reject his creation, even killing him off in a final panel.

However, its legacy continued.

"This demonstrates that creators cannot own icons," says the professor. "They can change and shift and be reworked."

Until recently, the popularity of this meme resulted in frogs were predominantly linked to the right. This shifted in early October, when a viral moment between an activist dressed in an inflatable frog costume and a federal agent in Portland spread rapidly online.

The moment occurred shortly after a directive to deploy military personnel to the city, which was called "a warzone". Protesters began to assemble in large numbers at a specific location, just outside of an ICE office.

Tensions were high and an agent used a chemical agent at a protester, targeting the ventilation of the inflatable suit.

The individual, Seth Todd, responded with a joke, stating it tasted like "something milder". However, the video went viral.

The frog suit was not too unusual for Portland, renowned for its unconventional spirit and activist demonstrations that revel in the unusual – public yoga, retro fitness classes, and unique parades. A local saying is "Keep Portland Weird."

The frog was also referenced in a lawsuit between the federal government and Portland, which contended the deployment was unlawful.

While a judge decided that month that the administration was within its rights to deploy troops, a minority opinion disagreed, mentioning the protesters' "well-known penchant for wearing chicken suits when expressing opposition."

"Observers may be tempted the majority's ruling, which adopts the government's characterization as a war zone, as simply ridiculous," Judge Susan Graber wrote. "However, this ruling has serious implications."

The deployment was halted by courts just a month later, and personnel have reportedly departed the city.

Yet already, the frog had become a potent protest icon for the left.

The costume was spotted across the country at anti-authoritarian protests last autumn. There were frogs – along with other creatures – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They appeared in small towns and big international cities like Tokyo and London.

The frog costume was in high demand on major websites, and rose in price.

Controlling the Narrative

What brings the two amphibian symbols – is the interplay between the silly, innocent image and underlying political significance. Experts call this "tactical frivolity."

The tactic relies on what Mr Bogad terms the "irresistible image" – usually humorous, it acts as a "disarming and charming" act that highlights your ideas without needing obviously explaining them. This is the unusual prop used, or the symbol circulated.

The professor is both an expert in the subject and a veteran practitioner. He authored a text on the subject, and led seminars around the world.

"One can look back to the Middle Ages – when people are dominated, absurd humor is used to express dissent a little bit and while maintaining a layer of protection."

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

As activists confront a powerful opposition, a silly costume {takes control of|seizes|influences