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The protest movement won't be televised, yet it might possess amphibious toes and bulging eyes.

Additionally, it could include the horn of a unicorn or a chicken's feathers.

While protests opposing the leadership continue in US cities, protesters are adopting the vibe of a community costume parade. They have taught salsa lessons, handed out treats, and ridden unicycles, while armed law enforcement look on.

Mixing levity and politics – a tactic experts term "tactical frivolity" – has historical precedent. Yet it has transformed into a hallmark of US demonstrations in recent years, embraced by various groups.

A specific icon has risen to become particularly salient – the frog. It started after a video of an encounter between a protester in a frog suit and federal officers in the city of Portland, spread online. It subsequently appeared to protests nationwide.

"There is much going on with that little frog costume," states an expert, a professor at University of California, Davis and an academic who studies political performance.

From the Pepe Meme to the Streets of Portland

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

Initially, when the character gained popularity on the internet, it was used to express specific feelings. Afterwards, it was utilized to endorse a candidate, including a particular image endorsed by that figure personally, portraying Pepe with a signature suit and hair.

Images also circulated in digital spaces in more extreme scenarios, as a hate group member. Users traded "unique frog images" and set up digital currency using its likeness. Its famous line, "feels good, man", became an inside joke.

However the character did not originate this divisive.

Matt Furie, artist Matt Furie, has been vocal about his distaste for its co-option. Pepe was supposed to be simply a relaxed amphibian in his comic world.

Pepe debuted in an online comic in the mid-2000s – non-political and famous for a quirky behavior. In 'Feels Good Man', which documents Mr Furie's efforts to take back of his creation, he stated the character came from his life with friends and roommates.

As he started out, the artist tried sharing his art to the nascent social web, where the community began to borrow, remix and reinvent his character. As Pepe spread into fringe areas of the internet, Mr Furie tried to disavow his creation, even killing him off in a final panel.

However, its legacy continued.

"This demonstrates the lack of control over symbols," states Prof Bogad. "Their meaning can evolve and be reworked."

Until recently, the popularity of Pepe meant that amphibian imagery were largely associated with the right. A transformation occurred on a day in October, when an incident between an activist dressed in a blow-up amphibian suit and a federal agent in Portland, Oregon spread rapidly online.

This incident occurred shortly after a decision to deploy the National Guard to Portland, which was described as "a warzone". Demonstrators began to assemble in large numbers outside a facility, just outside of an immigration enforcement facility.

Tensions were high and an immigration officer sprayed pepper spray at a protester, targeting the opening of the puffy frog costume.

The individual, Seth Todd, responded with a joke, remarking it tasted like "spicier tamales". Yet the footage spread everywhere.

The costume was somewhat typical for the city, renowned for its unconventional spirit and left-wing protests that revel in the unusual – outdoor exercise, retro fitness classes, and unique parades. The city's unofficial motto is "Embrace the Strange."

The costume was also referenced in the ensuing legal battle between the federal government and the city, which argued the use of troops was illegal.

While the court ruled in October that the administration was within its rights to send personnel, a dissenting judge wrote, noting in her opinion the protesters' "propensity for wearing chicken suits while voicing their disagreement."

"Observers may be tempted this decision, which accepts the description of Portland as a war zone, as simply ridiculous," the dissenting judge stated. "However, this ruling has serious implications."

The order was "permanently" blocked soon after, and personnel are said to have left the city.

Yet already, the amphibian costume had become a potent symbol of resistance for progressive movements.

The costume was spotted in many cities 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 abroad.

The inflatable suit was sold out on online retailers, and rose in price.

Mastering the Optics

The link between both frogs together – lies in the interplay between the humorous, benign cartoon and a deeper political meaning. Experts call this "tactical frivolity."

The tactic is based on what the professor terms a "disarming display" – usually humorous, it's a "disarming and charming" act that draws focus to a message without needing explicitly stating them. This is the silly outfit you wear, or the symbol you share.

The professor is both an expert in the subject and an experienced participant. He's written a text called 'Tactical Performance', and led seminars around the world.

"You could go back to historical periods – when people are dominated, they use absurdity to express dissent indirectly and while maintaining plausible deniability."

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

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