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The protest movement may not be broadcast, yet it might possess webbed feet and bulging eyes.

Additionally, it could include the horn of a unicorn or the plumage of a chicken.

While protests against the administration persist in American cities, protesters are utilizing the spirit of a neighborhood dress-up party. They've offered dance instruction, distributed snacks, and ridden unicycles, as armed law enforcement observe.

Combining comedy and politics – a tactic experts call "tactical frivolity" – has historical precedent. But it has become a signature characteristic of US demonstrations in recent years, embraced by all sides of the political spectrum.

One particular emblem has risen to become notably significant – the frog. It originated when recordings of a clash between an individual in a frog suit and ICE agents in the city of Portland, spread online. It subsequently appeared to protests nationwide.

"There is much going on with that humble frog costume," says a professor, a professor at University of California, Davis and an academic who specialises in creative activism.

The Path From the Pepe Meme to Portland

It's hard to talk about protests and frogs without talking about Pepe, a web comic frog embraced by extremist movements during a previous presidential campaign.

Initially, when the meme first took off online, its purpose was to signal specific feelings. Subsequently, it was utilized to show support for a political figure, including one notable meme endorsed by the candidate himself, portraying Pepe with a signature suit and hair.

Images also circulated in digital spaces in darker contexts, portrayed as a historical dictator. Users exchanged "unique frog images" and established cryptocurrency in his name. His catchphrase, "feels good, man", became a shared phrase.

Yet the character did not originate as a political symbol.

The artist behind it, artist Matt Furie, has expressed about his disapproval for how the image has been used. The character was intended as simply an apolitical figure in his comic world.

The frog first appeared in an online comic in the mid-2000s – apolitical and notable for a quirky behavior. A film, which chronicles Mr Furie's efforts to wrest back control of his creation, he explained his drawing came from his time with friends and roommates.

Early in his career, the artist tried sharing his art to early internet platforms, where people online began to borrow, remix and reinvent the frog. When the meme proliferated into darker parts of the internet, Mr Furie sought to reject his creation, including ending its life in a final panel.

But Pepe lived on.

"It proves the lack of control over icons," states the professor. "They transform and be reclaimed."

Previously, the notoriety of this meme resulted in amphibian imagery were largely associated with the right. A transformation occurred recently, when a confrontation between an activist dressed in an inflatable frog costume and a federal agent in Portland, Oregon spread rapidly online.

The moment followed a directive to deploy the National Guard to the city, which was called "a warzone". Protesters began to congregate at a specific location, near an immigration enforcement facility.

Emotions ran high and a officer used a chemical agent at a protester, targeting the ventilation of the puffy frog costume.

The protester, Seth Todd, reacted humorously, saying he had tasted "spicier tamales". Yet the footage spread everywhere.

The costume was somewhat typical for the city, known for its eccentric vibe and left-wing protests that embrace the unusual – outdoor exercise, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and nude cycling groups. The city's unofficial motto is "Keep Portland Weird."

The costume even played a role in a lawsuit between the federal government and Portland, which argued the use of troops was unlawful.

While the court ruled in October that the president was within its rights to deploy troops, one judge dissented, referencing in her ruling demonstrators' "well-known penchant for wearing chicken suits when expressing their disagreement."

"Some might view this decision, which adopts the description of Portland as a battlefield, as simply ridiculous," Judge Susan Graber stated. "Yet the outcome is not merely absurd."

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

But by then, the frog had become a powerful protest icon for progressive movements.

The costume was spotted in many cities at No Kings protests recently. Frogs appeared – 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 backordered on online retailers, and saw its cost increase.

Controlling the Narrative

The link between Pepe and the protest frog – is the relationship between the humorous, benign cartoon and underlying political significance. Experts call this "tactical frivolity."

This approach relies on what Mr Bogad terms a "disarming display" – frequently absurd, it's a "disarming and charming" act that draws focus to your ideas without explicitly stating them. It's the goofy costume used, or the symbol circulated.

Mr Bogad is both an expert on this topic and an experienced participant. He authored a book on the subject, and taught workshops around the world.

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

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

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