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The protest movement won't be televised, yet it might possess webbed feet and large eyes.

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

As protests opposing the government carry on in American cities, protesters are adopting the spirit of a local block party. They've offered dance instruction, distributed treats, and performed on unicycles, as armed law enforcement watch.

Mixing comedy and politics – a tactic researchers call "tactical frivolity" – has historical precedent. Yet it has transformed into a defining feature of American protest in this period, adopted by various groups.

A specific icon has emerged as especially powerful – the frog. It originated when video footage of an encounter between an individual in a frog suit and ICE agents in the city of Portland, became an internet sensation. It subsequently appeared to protests across the country.

"There is much going on with that little inflatable frog," notes LM Bogad, a professor at UC Davis and an academic who studies political performance.

The Path From Pepe to the Streets of Portland

It is difficult to examine protests and frogs without mentioning Pepe, a web comic frog adopted by extremist movements during an election cycle.

Initially, when the meme first took off online, people used it to convey certain emotions. Subsequently, its use evolved to express backing for a political figure, even one notable meme shared by the candidate personally, depicting Pepe with a signature suit and hair.

Pepe was also depicted in certain internet forums in darker contexts, portrayed as a historical dictator. Online conservatives traded "unique frog images" and set up digital currency in his name. Its famous line, "that feels good", was deployed an inside joke.

Yet its beginnings were not so controversial.

Matt Furie, the illustrator, has stated about his unhappiness for its co-option. The character was intended as simply an apolitical figure in his comic world.

Pepe debuted in a series of comics in 2005 – non-political and best known for a quirky behavior. A film, which chronicles Mr Furie's efforts to wrest back control of his creation, he explained his drawing was inspired by his experiences with friends and roommates.

When he began, Mr Furie tried sharing his art to early internet platforms, where other users began to borrow, remix and reinvent the frog. As its popularity grew into the more extreme corners of the internet, Mr Furie attempted to distance himself from the frog, even killing him off in a final panel.

But Pepe lived on.

"It proves that we don't control icons," says the professor. "They can change and shift and be reworked."

Previously, the popularity of this meme resulted in frogs were largely associated with the right. But that changed in early October, when an incident between a protestor dressed in a blow-up amphibian suit and a federal agent in Portland captured global attention.

The moment came just days after an order to send the National Guard to the city, which was described as "war-ravaged". Activists began to assemble in large numbers on a single block, just outside of an ICE office.

Emotions ran high and a officer sprayed pepper spray at the individual, targeting the opening of the costume.

Seth Todd, the man in the costume, reacted humorously, stating he had tasted "spicier tamales". But the incident became a sensation.

Mr Todd's attire was not too unusual for the city, famous for its quirky culture and left-wing protests that revel in the absurd – public yoga, retro fitness classes, and unique parades. Its creed is "Keep Portland Weird."

The frog became part of in a lawsuit between the administration and the city, which argued the deployment was illegal.

Although a ruling was issued in October that the administration had the right to send personnel, one judge dissented, noting in her opinion demonstrators' "well-known penchant for wearing chicken suits when expressing their disagreement."

"Some might view this decision, which adopts the description of Portland as a war zone, as simply ridiculous," Judge Susan Graber stated. "But today's decision is not merely absurd."

The deployment was stopped legally just a month later, and personnel are said to have left the city.

Yet already, the amphibian costume was now a significant symbol of resistance for progressive movements.

The costume was spotted across the country at anti-authoritarian protests that fall. 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 abroad.

This item was in high demand on major websites, and became more expensive.

Controlling the Optics

What brings the two amphibian symbols – lies in the interplay between the silly, innocent image and a deeper political meaning. This is what "tactical frivolity."

This approach is based on what the professor calls a "disarming display" – usually humorous, it's a "appealing and non-threatening" act that highlights a cause without obviously explaining them. This is the unusual prop you wear, or the symbol circulated.

The professor is both an expert in the subject and someone who uses these tactics. He authored a book called 'Tactical Performance', and taught workshops around the world.

"One can look back to historical periods – under oppressive regimes, absurd humor is used to speak the truth a little bit and while maintaining a layer of protection."

The purpose of such tactics is multi-faceted, Mr Bogad says.

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