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This protest movement may not be televised, but it could have webbed feet and bulging eyes.

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

Whilst demonstrations opposing the administration carry on in US cities, participants are adopting the spirit of a community costume parade. They've offered dance instruction, handed out treats, and ridden unicycles, as officers look on.

Combining humour and politics – an approach researchers refer to as "tactical frivolity" – isn't novel. However, it has emerged as a signature characteristic of protests in the United States in this period, used by all sides of the political spectrum.

One particular emblem has proven to be especially powerful – the frog. It began after video footage of a clash between an individual in an amphibian costume and immigration enforcement agents in the city of Portland, spread online. From there, it proliferated to rallies throughout the United States.

"A great deal happening with that small frog costume," says an expert, who teaches at UC Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who specialises in creative activism.

From the Pepe Meme to the Streets of Portland

It is difficult to discuss protests and frogs without addressing Pepe, an illustrated figure co-opted by online communities throughout a political race.

As the character first took off on the internet, it was used to signal specific feelings. Later, its use evolved to express backing for a candidate, even a particular image endorsed by that figure personally, depicting Pepe with a signature suit and hair.

Images also circulated in right-wing online communities in darker contexts, portrayed as a hate group member. Participants exchanged "rare Pepes" and set up digital currency using its likeness. His catchphrase, "feels good, man", became an inside joke.

However the character did not originate so controversial.

Its creator, artist Matt Furie, has stated about his unhappiness for how the image has been used. Pepe was supposed to be simply an apolitical figure in this artist's universe.

This character first appeared in an online comic in the mid-2000s – apolitical and best known for a quirky behavior. In 'Feels Good Man', which documents Mr Furie's efforts to reclaim ownership of his creation, he stated his drawing came from his experiences with friends and roommates.

When he began, Mr Furie tried uploading his work to the nascent social web, where the community began to copy, alter, and reinterpret the frog. When the meme proliferated into fringe areas of the internet, Mr Furie sought to reject his creation, even killing him off in a final panel.

However, its legacy continued.

"This demonstrates that we don't control imagery," explains Prof Bogad. "They can change and shift and be repurposed."

For a long time, the popularity of Pepe meant that frogs became a symbol for the right. A transformation occurred on a day in October, when a viral moment between an activist wearing a blow-up amphibian suit and an immigration officer in Portland, Oregon captured global attention.

The event came just days after a directive to deploy the National Guard to Portland, which was called "a warzone". Demonstrators began to congregate outside a facility, just outside of an ICE office.

Tensions were high and a officer sprayed a chemical agent at a protester, aiming directly into the ventilation of the puffy frog costume.

The protester, Seth Todd, responded with a joke, saying it tasted like "something milder". But the incident went viral.

The frog suit was not too unusual for the city, known for its quirky culture and activist demonstrations that revel in the ridiculous – public yoga, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and nude cycling groups. A local saying is "Keep Portland Weird."

The costume even played a role in a lawsuit between the administration and Portland, which claimed the deployment overstepped authority.

Although a judge decided in October that the administration had the right to deploy troops, one judge dissented, noting in her opinion the protesters' "known tendency for wearing chicken suits when expressing dissent."

"It is easy to see the majority's ruling, which accepts the government's characterization as a battlefield, as simply ridiculous," she opined. "However, this ruling goes beyond absurdity."

The deployment was halted by courts subsequently, and personnel have reportedly departed the area.

However, by that time, the frog had transformed into a potent protest icon for progressive movements.

The inflatable suit appeared across the country at anti-authoritarian protests that fall. Amphibian costumes were present – along with other creatures – in major US cities. They appeared in small towns and global metropolises abroad.

The inflatable suit was sold out on major websites, and rose in price.

Shaping the Visual Story

The link between both frogs together – lies in the interplay between the silly, innocent image and underlying political significance. This concept is "tactical frivolity."

The tactic relies on what the professor terms the "irresistible image" – frequently absurd, it acts as a "appealing and non-threatening" display that highlights a cause without explicitly stating them. This is the silly outfit you wear, or the meme you share.

The professor is both an expert in the subject and an experienced participant. He authored a text 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 express dissent indirectly and still have a layer of protection."

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

As activists confront a powerful opposition, humorous attire {takes control of|seizes|influences