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

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

While protests against the administration carry on in American cities, participants have embraced the vibe of a community costume parade. They've provided dance instruction, distributed snacks, and performed on unicycles, as police look on.

Mixing humour and political action – a strategy researchers refer to as "tactical frivolity" – is not new. Yet it has transformed into a defining feature of American protest in the current era, embraced by both left and right.

One particular emblem has proven to be notably significant – the frog. It originated when recordings of an encounter between an individual in an inflatable frog and immigration enforcement agents in the city of Portland, spread online. It subsequently appeared to protests across the country.

"A great deal going on with that little blow-up amphibian," notes a professor, who teaches at UC Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who specialises in creative activism.

The Path From the Pepe Meme to Portland

It's challenging to discuss protests and frogs without mentioning Pepe, a cartoon character co-opted by extremist movements throughout a political race.

Initially, when the meme initially spread online, its purpose was to convey specific feelings. Later, it was deployed to show support for a candidate, including one notable meme endorsed by the candidate personally, showing Pepe with recognizable attire and hairstyle.

Pepe was also depicted in digital spaces in more extreme scenarios, as a hate group member. Online conservatives exchanged "rare Pepes" and established cryptocurrency using its likeness. His catchphrase, "feels good, man", became an inside joke.

But the character did not originate this divisive.

The artist behind it, the illustrator, has expressed about his unhappiness for its co-option. The character was intended as simply a "chill frog-dude" in his series.

This character first appeared in an online comic in 2005 – apolitical and notable for a particular bathroom habit. A film, which chronicles Mr Furie's efforts to reclaim ownership of his work, he said his drawing came from his experiences with companions.

As he started out, Mr Furie experimented with uploading his work to early internet platforms, where people online began to copy, alter, and reinterpret the frog. As Pepe spread into darker parts of the internet, Mr Furie tried to disavow his creation, including ending its life in a comic strip.

But Pepe lived on.

"It proves the lack of control over imagery," states the professor. "They can change and shift and be repurposed."

Previously, the notoriety of this meme meant that amphibian imagery were predominantly linked to conservative politics. This shifted in early October, when a viral moment between an activist dressed in an inflatable frog costume and an immigration officer in Portland captured global attention.

The event occurred shortly after a decision to deploy military personnel to the city, which was called "war-ravaged". Demonstrators began to congregate on a single block, just outside of a federal building.

Tensions were high and a officer deployed irritant at a protester, targeting the air intake fan of the costume.

The protester, Seth Todd, quipped, remarking it tasted like "something milder". However, the video spread everywhere.

Mr Todd's attire was somewhat typical for the city, famous for its eccentric vibe and activist demonstrations that embrace the absurd – outdoor exercise, retro fitness classes, and unique parades. A local saying is "Keep Portland Weird."

This symbol became part of in subsequent court proceedings between the federal government and Portland, which contended the deployment overstepped authority.

Although a judge decided in October that the president had the right to deploy troops, one judge dissented, referencing in her ruling the protesters' "well-known penchant for using unusual attire while voicing their disagreement."

"It is easy to see the majority's ruling, which adopts the description of Portland as a battlefield, as simply ridiculous," the dissenting judge wrote. "Yet the outcome is not merely absurd."

The action was "permanently" blocked soon after, and personnel have reportedly departed the area.

But by then, the frog had become a powerful symbol of resistance for progressive movements.

The costume was seen in many cities at anti-authoritarian protests that fall. Frogs appeared – along with other creatures – in major US cities. They appeared in small towns and big international cities abroad.

This item was sold out on major websites, and saw its cost increase.

Mastering the Visual Story

What brings Pepe and the protest frog – lies in the interplay between the humorous, benign cartoon and underlying political significance. This concept is "tactical frivolity."

The tactic is based on what the professor terms a "disarming display" – usually humorous, it's a "appealing and non-threatening" display that calls attention to a cause without explicitly stating them. It's the silly outfit you wear, or the symbol you share.

The professor is an analyst in the subject and someone who uses these tactics. He's written a text called 'Tactical Performance', and taught workshops internationally.

"You could go back to the Middle Ages – when people are dominated, they use absurdity to speak the truth indirectly and still have a layer of protection."

The idea of such tactics is three-fold, he explains.

When activists take on a powerful opposition, humorous attire {takes control of|seizes|influences