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

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

Whilst demonstrations opposing the government continue in American cities, participants are adopting the vibe of a local block party. They have taught salsa lessons, handed out treats, and performed on unicycles, while armed law enforcement watch.

Blending comedy and political action – a tactic experts call "tactical frivolity" – has historical precedent. However, it has emerged as a hallmark of US demonstrations in this period, adopted by both left and right.

One particular emblem has emerged as notably significant – the frog. It originated after recordings of a confrontation between an individual in an amphibian costume and ICE agents in Portland, Oregon, spread online. It subsequently appeared to protests nationwide.

"A great deal at play with that humble blow-up amphibian," states LM Bogad, who teaches at University of California, Davis and an academic who focuses on creative activism.

The Path From Pepe to Portland

It is difficult to discuss demonstrations and amphibians without mentioning Pepe, a cartoon character embraced by extremist movements during an election cycle.

Initially, when the character first took off on the internet, it was used to express certain emotions. Afterwards, it was deployed to show support for a candidate, even a particular image retweeted by that figure himself, depicting the frog with a signature suit and hair.

Pepe was also depicted in certain internet forums in offensive ways, as a hate group member. Participants exchanged "unique frog images" and set up cryptocurrency in his name. Its famous line, "that feels good", was deployed a shared phrase.

However Pepe didn't start out so controversial.

Matt Furie, the illustrator, has expressed about his unhappiness for its co-option. Pepe was supposed to be simply a "chill frog-dude" in this artist's universe.

The frog first appeared in comic strips in the mid-2000s – apolitical and notable for a quirky behavior. In a documentary, which chronicles Mr Furie's efforts to take back of his work, he explained his drawing was inspired by his time with friends and roommates.

As he started out, the artist experimented with sharing his art to early internet platforms, where the community began to borrow, remix and reinvent the frog. As Pepe spread into fringe areas of the internet, the creator tried to disavow the frog, even killing him off in a comic strip.

However, its legacy continued.

"It proves the lack of control over symbols," explains Prof Bogad. "They transform and be reclaimed."

For a long time, the association of this meme resulted in amphibian imagery became a symbol for conservative politics. But that changed on a day in October, when a viral moment between an activist wearing an inflatable frog costume and a federal agent in Portland captured global attention.

This incident followed a directive to deploy the National Guard to Portland, which was called "a warzone". Demonstrators began to assemble in large numbers at a specific location, near an ICE office.

Tensions were high and a officer deployed irritant at a protester, aiming directly into the air intake fan of the puffy frog costume.

The protester, the man in the costume, responded with a joke, saying it tasted like "spicier tamales". However, the video went viral.

The frog suit was somewhat typical for Portland, renowned for its quirky culture and left-wing protests that revel in the absurd – public yoga, retro fitness classes, and nude cycling groups. Its creed is "Keep Portland Weird."

This symbol became part of in the ensuing legal battle between the administration and Portland, which claimed the use of troops overstepped authority.

Although a ruling was issued in October that the president was within its rights to send personnel, one judge dissented, referencing in her ruling demonstrators' "well-known penchant for using unusual attire when expressing opposition."

"Some might view the majority's ruling, which accepts the government's characterization as a war zone, as merely absurd," Judge Susan Graber opined. "However, this ruling has serious implications."

The action was halted by courts soon after, and personnel have reportedly departed the area.

But by then, the amphibian costume had become a significant anti-administration symbol for the left.

The inflatable suit appeared in many cities at No Kings protests last autumn. Amphibian costumes were present – and unicorns and axolotls and dinosaurs – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They were in small towns and global metropolises like Tokyo and London.

The inflatable suit was sold out on major websites, and saw its cost increase.

Shaping the Optics

What brings the two amphibian symbols – is the interplay between the humorous, benign cartoon and a deeper political meaning. This concept is "tactical frivolity."

This approach rests on what Mr Bogad terms the "irresistible image" – often silly, it acts as a "appealing and non-threatening" performance that highlights a cause without needing directly articulating them. It's the goofy costume used, or the symbol you share.

Mr Bogad is an analyst on this topic and a veteran practitioner. He authored a text called 'Tactical Performance', and led seminars internationally.

"One can look back to the Middle Ages – when people are dominated, they use absurdity to speak the truth indirectly and while maintaining plausible deniability."

The purpose of such tactics is three-fold, Mr Bogad explains.

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