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This protest movement won't be broadcast, yet it might possess amphibious toes and protruding eyes.

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

While rallies against the administration persist in US cities, protesters have embraced the vibe of a local block party. They've offered dance instruction, distributed snacks, and performed on unicycles, while police watch.

Blending humour and political action – an approach researchers call "tactical frivolity" – is not new. But it has become a signature characteristic of US demonstrations in recent years, adopted by all sides of the political spectrum.

A specific icon has proven to be especially powerful – the frog. It started after a video of an encounter between a man in a frog suit and federal officers in Portland, Oregon, became an internet sensation. It subsequently appeared to protests across the country.

"There's a lot happening with that small inflatable frog," notes LM Bogad, who teaches at UC Davis and an academic who studies creative activism.

From a Cartoon Frog to Portland

It is difficult to discuss demonstrations and amphibians without addressing Pepe, an illustrated figure adopted by extremist movements throughout an election cycle.

Initially, when this image initially spread online, it was used to signal certain emotions. Later, its use evolved to endorse a political figure, even a particular image endorsed by that figure personally, showing Pepe with a signature suit and hair.

Images also circulated in right-wing online communities in more extreme scenarios, as a historical dictator. Users traded "rare Pepes" and established cryptocurrency using its likeness. Its famous line, "feels good, man", was deployed a shared phrase.

But Pepe didn't start out as a political symbol.

The artist behind it, the illustrator, has expressed about his distaste for its co-option. His creation was meant as simply a relaxed amphibian in his comic world.

Pepe first appeared in comic strips in the mid-2000s – non-political and famous for a particular bathroom habit. In 'Feels Good Man', which chronicles Mr Furie's efforts to reclaim ownership of his work, he stated his drawing was inspired by his experiences with companions.

As he started out, the artist experimented with sharing his art to the nascent social web, where other users began to borrow, remix and reinvent his character. As Pepe spread into darker parts of the internet, the creator attempted to distance himself from the frog, even killing him off in a comic strip.

Yet the frog persisted.

"This demonstrates that creators cannot own imagery," explains the professor. "They can change and shift and be repurposed."

Until recently, the association of Pepe resulted in amphibian imagery became a symbol for the right. This shifted in early October, when a viral moment between a protestor dressed in an inflatable frog costume and a federal agent in Portland spread rapidly online.

This incident occurred shortly after a decision to send military personnel to Portland, which was called "a warzone". Demonstrators began to assemble in large numbers on a single block, just outside of an ICE office.

The situation was tense and an agent sprayed a chemical agent at the individual, aiming directly into the ventilation of the inflatable suit.

The individual, the man in the costume, responded with a joke, remarking he had tasted "spicier tamales". Yet the footage went viral.

Mr Todd's attire fit right in for Portland, known for its unconventional spirit and left-wing protests that delight in the unusual – outdoor exercise, retro fitness classes, and unique parades. The city's unofficial motto is "Embrace the Strange."

This symbol was also referenced in subsequent court proceedings between the administration and the city, which argued the deployment was illegal.

Although the court ruled in October that the president was within its rights to deploy troops, a minority opinion disagreed, mentioning the protesters' "known tendency for donning inflatable costumes while voicing opposition."

"Some might view the majority's ruling, which adopts the government's characterization as a battlefield, as merely absurd," she wrote. "But today's decision goes beyond absurdity."

The action was halted by courts soon after, and troops are said to have left the area.

However, by that time, the frog was now a significant anti-administration symbol for progressive movements.

This symbol was spotted in many cities at No Kings protests that fall. There were frogs – along with other creatures – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They appeared in small towns and global metropolises abroad.

This item was in high demand on online retailers, and saw its cost increase.

Shaping the Narrative

What connects Pepe and the protest frog – lies in the interplay between the silly, innocent image and a deeper political meaning. This is what "tactical frivolity."

The tactic rests on what the professor calls the "irresistible image" – frequently absurd, it acts as a "disarming and charming" act that calls attention to your ideas without directly articulating them. This is the goofy costume 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 book called 'Tactical Performance', and led seminars internationally.

"One can look back to the Middle Ages – under oppressive regimes, absurd humor is used to express dissent indirectly and while maintaining a layer of protection."

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

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