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

Furthermore, it may involve a unicorn's horn or the plumage of a chicken.

Whilst rallies opposing the government carry on in US cities, demonstrators are utilizing the spirit of a community costume parade. They've provided dance instruction, distributed treats, and performed on unicycles, as armed law enforcement watch.

Mixing humour and political action – an approach social scientists call "tactical frivolity" – has historical precedent. However, it has emerged as a hallmark of US demonstrations in recent years, embraced by various groups.

A specific icon has proven to be particularly salient – the frog. It started when recordings of a confrontation between an individual in an inflatable frog and federal officers in Portland, Oregon, went viral. It subsequently appeared to rallies nationwide.

"There's a lot happening with that small blow-up amphibian," notes LM Bogad, a professor at University of California, Davis and an academic who focuses on performance art.

From a Cartoon Frog to Portland

It's hard to discuss protests and frogs without talking about Pepe, an illustrated figure adopted by online communities throughout a previous presidential campaign.

As the meme gained popularity online, it was used to convey certain emotions. Subsequently, its use evolved to show support for a candidate, including one notable meme endorsed by the candidate himself, depicting the frog with a signature suit and hair.

Images also circulated in certain internet forums in more extreme scenarios, as a hate group member. Users traded "unique frog images" and set up digital currency in his name. His catchphrase, "feels good, man", became a coded signal.

But its beginnings were not this divisive.

Its creator, the illustrator, has stated about his disapproval for its appropriation. Pepe was supposed to be simply a "chill frog-dude" in this artist's universe.

This character debuted in an online comic in 2005 – non-political and notable for a particular bathroom habit. A film, which chronicles Mr Furie's efforts to wrest back control of his work, he stated his drawing came from his experiences with companions.

Early in his career, Mr Furie experimented with uploading his work to early internet platforms, 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, including ending its life in a comic strip.

But Pepe lived on.

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

Until recently, the popularity of this meme meant that amphibian imagery were predominantly linked to conservative politics. This shifted recently, when an incident between an activist wearing an inflatable frog costume and an immigration officer in Portland, Oregon captured global attention.

This incident came just days after an order to deploy military personnel to the city, which was called "a warzone". Protesters began to assemble in large numbers on a single block, near an ICE office.

Tensions were high and a officer deployed irritant at the individual, targeting the ventilation of the inflatable suit.

The individual, the man in the costume, responded with a joke, saying he had tasted "spicier tamales". But the incident became a sensation.

Mr Todd's attire was not too unusual for Portland, famous for its eccentric vibe and activist demonstrations that revel in the ridiculous – public yoga, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and unique parades. Its creed is "Embrace the Strange."

The frog even played a role in the ensuing legal battle between the administration and the city, which contended the use of troops overstepped authority.

Although the court ruled that month that the administration was within its rights to deploy troops, one judge dissented, referencing in her ruling the protesters' "propensity for donning inflatable costumes while voicing dissent."

"Observers may be tempted this decision, which accepts the description of Portland as a war zone, as merely absurd," the dissenting judge wrote. "Yet the outcome goes beyond absurdity."

The order was stopped legally just a month later, and troops have reportedly departed the city.

Yet already, the amphibian costume was now a powerful anti-administration symbol for the left.

The costume appeared nationwide at No Kings protests last autumn. Amphibian costumes were present – and unicorns and axolotls and dinosaurs – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They appeared in small towns and big international cities like Tokyo and London.

This item was in high demand on major websites, and saw its cost increase.

Controlling the Narrative

The link between the two amphibian symbols – is the relationship between the silly, innocent image and underlying political significance. This is what "tactical frivolity."

The strategy rests on what the professor calls the "irresistible image" – often silly, it acts as a "appealing and non-threatening" display that draws focus to a message without explicitly stating them. It's the silly outfit used, or the symbol circulated.

Mr Bogad is both an expert on this topic and an experienced participant. He's written a text on the subject, and led seminars internationally.

"One can look back to historical periods – when people are dominated, absurd humor is used to speak the truth indirectly and while maintaining plausible deniability."

The idea of this approach is three-fold, Mr Bogad explains.

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