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This protest movement won't be broadcast, though it may feature amphibious toes and protruding eyes.

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

While rallies opposing the leadership carry on in US cities, protesters have embraced the spirit of a local block party. They've provided dance instruction, handed out snacks, and ridden unicycles, while police look on.

Combining levity and political action – a strategy experts refer to as "tactical frivolity" – is not new. But it has become a hallmark of protests in the United States in this period, used by both left and right.

A specific icon has proven to be notably significant – the frog. It started after a video of an encounter between a protester in an amphibian costume and immigration enforcement agents in the city of Portland, spread online. It subsequently appeared to protests across the country.

"A great deal at play with that humble blow-up amphibian," states an expert, who teaches at UC Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who specialises in performance art.

The Path From Pepe to Portland

It's challenging to examine protests and frogs without addressing Pepe, a web comic frog adopted by far-right groups during an election cycle.

As the meme initially spread online, people used it to convey specific feelings. Subsequently, it was utilized to express backing for a political figure, even a particular image endorsed by the candidate personally, depicting Pepe with a signature suit and hair.

Pepe was also depicted in digital spaces in darker contexts, as a hate group member. Users exchanged "unique frog images" and set up cryptocurrency using its likeness. His catchphrase, "that feels good", was used an inside joke.

But 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 his comic world.

The frog first appeared in an online comic in 2005 – non-political and best known for a particular bathroom habit. In 'Feels Good Man', which chronicles the creator's attempt to reclaim ownership of his creation, he explained his drawing was inspired by his time with companions.

As he started out, the artist experimented with uploading his work to new websites, where the community began to copy, alter, and reinterpret the frog. As Pepe spread into fringe areas of online spaces, Mr Furie attempted to distance himself from the frog, including ending its life in a comic strip.

However, its legacy continued.

"It proves the lack of control over symbols," says Prof Bogad. "Their meaning can evolve and be reworked."

Previously, the notoriety of this meme resulted in frogs were predominantly linked to conservative politics. A transformation occurred in early October, when an incident between an activist dressed in a blow-up amphibian suit and an immigration officer in Portland, Oregon spread rapidly online.

The moment followed a decision to send the National Guard to Portland, which was described as "a warzone". Activists began to assemble in large numbers outside a facility, just outside of an immigration enforcement facility.

The situation was tense and a officer deployed irritant at a protester, aiming directly into the air intake fan of the costume.

The protester, Seth Todd, quipped, saying he had tasted "something milder". Yet the footage became a sensation.

The costume was somewhat typical for the city, famous for its eccentric vibe and activist demonstrations that embrace the ridiculous – public yoga, retro fitness classes, and nude cycling groups. Its creed is "Keep Portland Weird."

The costume became part of in the ensuing legal battle between the administration and the city, which claimed the deployment overstepped authority.

While a ruling was issued in October that the administration had the right to deploy troops, a dissenting judge wrote, referencing in her ruling the protesters' "well-known penchant for using unusual attire when expressing dissent."

"Some might view this decision, which accepts the description of Portland as a battlefield, as simply ridiculous," the dissenting judge stated. "Yet the outcome has serious implications."

The deployment was halted by courts subsequently, and troops are said to have left the city.

However, by that time, the amphibian costume had become a powerful protest icon for the left.

This symbol appeared across the country at No Kings protests recently. There were frogs – along with other creatures – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They appeared in small towns and global metropolises abroad.

The frog costume was sold out on major websites, and rose in price.

Shaping the Optics

What connects Pepe and the protest frog – is the relationship between the humorous, benign cartoon and serious intent. Experts call this "tactical frivolity."

The tactic is based on what the professor calls the "irresistible image" – usually humorous, it acts as a "appealing and non-threatening" act that calls attention to your ideas without obviously explaining them. This is the goofy costume you wear, or the meme circulated.

The professor is both an expert on this topic and an experienced participant. He authored a text called 'Tactical Performance', and taught workshops internationally.

"One can look back to historical periods – under oppressive regimes, they use absurdity to express dissent a little bit and still have plausible deniability."

The purpose of such tactics is multi-faceted, he explains.

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