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This protest movement isn't televised, but it could have webbed feet and protruding eyes.

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

As protests against the administration persist in US cities, participants are adopting the energy of a local block party. They've offered dance instruction, handed out snacks, and ridden unicycles, as armed law enforcement watch.

Mixing humour and politics – an approach experts term "tactical frivolity" – is not new. However, it has emerged as a signature characteristic of US demonstrations in recent years, used by all sides of the political spectrum.

A specific icon has emerged as especially powerful – the frog. It originated after recordings of a clash between an individual in a frog suit and ICE agents in Portland, Oregon, went viral. It subsequently appeared to protests nationwide.

"There's a lot happening with that small inflatable frog," notes an expert, a professor at University of California, Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who studies political performance.

The Path From the Pepe Meme to the Streets of Portland

It's challenging to discuss protests and frogs without addressing Pepe, a web comic frog co-opted by online communities throughout a previous presidential campaign.

When the character initially spread online, people used it to convey specific feelings. Subsequently, its use evolved to show support for a candidate, including a particular image endorsed by the candidate himself, portraying Pepe with recognizable attire and hairstyle.

The frog was also portrayed in certain internet forums in more extreme scenarios, as a historical dictator. Online conservatives exchanged "unique frog images" and established digital currency in his name. Its famous line, "that feels good", became a coded signal.

Yet the character did not originate so controversial.

Its creator, artist Matt Furie, has stated about his distaste for its appropriation. His creation was meant as simply a relaxed amphibian in this artist's universe.

Pepe debuted in an online comic in 2005 – non-political and notable for a particular bathroom habit. In 'Feels Good Man', which documents Mr Furie's efforts to take back of his work, he explained the character was inspired by his time with friends and roommates.

As he started out, the artist tried uploading his work to the nascent social web, where other users began to copy, alter, and reinterpret the frog. As its popularity grew into the more extreme corners of online spaces, the creator tried to disavow his creation, including ending its life in a comic strip.

But Pepe lived on.

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

Previously, the association of Pepe meant that frogs were predominantly linked to conservative politics. A transformation occurred on a day in October, when a confrontation between a protestor dressed in a blow-up amphibian suit and a federal agent in Portland, Oregon spread rapidly online.

This incident followed a decision to deploy the National Guard to the city, which was called "a warzone". Demonstrators began to congregate outside a facility, just outside of an immigration enforcement facility.

Tensions were high and an agent deployed irritant at the individual, targeting the opening of the puffy frog costume.

The protester, Seth Todd, reacted humorously, stating he had tasted "something milder". However, the video went viral.

The costume fit right in for the city, known for its eccentric vibe and activist demonstrations that revel in the ridiculous – outdoor exercise, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and nude cycling groups. The city's unofficial motto is "Embrace the Strange."

The costume even played a role in subsequent court proceedings between the federal government and Portland, which claimed the deployment overstepped authority.

While a ruling was issued that month that the administration had the right to send personnel, one judge dissented, mentioning demonstrators' "known tendency for donning inflatable costumes while voicing dissent."

"It is easy to see the majority's ruling, which adopts the government's characterization as a battlefield, as merely absurd," the dissenting judge wrote. "However, this ruling has serious implications."

The deployment was "permanently" blocked subsequently, and troops withdrew from the city.

Yet already, the amphibian costume was now a powerful protest icon for progressive movements.

The costume was seen across the country at No Kings protests recently. Frogs appeared – along with other creatures – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They were in rural communities and big international cities like Tokyo and London.

This item was in high demand on major websites, and rose in price.

Shaping the Optics

What brings Pepe and the protest frog – lies in the dynamic between the humorous, benign cartoon and serious intent. This is what "tactical frivolity."

This approach is based on what the professor calls a "disarming display" – frequently absurd, it acts as a "appealing and non-threatening" display that draws focus to your ideas without needing obviously explaining them. It's the silly outfit used, or the meme you share.

The professor is an analyst in the subject and a veteran practitioner. He authored a text on the subject, and led seminars internationally.

"One can look back to historical periods – under oppressive regimes, they use absurdity to speak the truth a little bit and while maintaining plausible deniability."

The purpose of this approach is three-fold, he says.

When protesters take on authority, a silly costume {takes control of|seizes|influences