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The protest movement isn't broadcast, yet it might possess amphibious toes and large eyes.

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

While rallies against the government continue in American cities, protesters are adopting the vibe of a local block party. They have taught dance instruction, handed out treats, and ridden unicycles, as armed law enforcement observe.

Blending comedy and political action – an approach researchers term "tactical frivolity" – is not new. But it has become a hallmark of US demonstrations in the current era, adopted by both left and right.

And one symbol has proven to be particularly salient – the frog. It began after a video of an encounter between a man in a frog suit and ICE agents in Portland, Oregon, went viral. And it has since spread to protests throughout the United States.

"There is much happening with that humble inflatable frog," states an expert, who teaches at University of California, Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who specialises in creative activism.

From Pepe to Portland

It's challenging to talk about protests and frogs without addressing Pepe, a cartoon character adopted by extremist movements throughout an election cycle.

Initially, when this image gained popularity online, it was used to convey certain emotions. Later, its use evolved to endorse a political figure, even a particular image endorsed by the candidate himself, depicting Pepe with a signature suit and hair.

Pepe was also depicted in digital spaces in darker contexts, as a hate group member. Participants traded "rare Pepes" and established cryptocurrency in his name. His catchphrase, "feels good, man", was used a coded signal.

Yet its beginnings were not this divisive.

Matt Furie, artist Matt Furie, has been vocal about his unhappiness for how the image has been used. His creation was meant as simply a "chill frog-dude" in this artist's universe.

Pepe first appeared in an online comic in the mid-2000s – apolitical and best known for a particular bathroom habit. In a documentary, which documents the creator's attempt to take back of his creation, he explained his drawing was inspired by his experiences with companions.

Early in his career, the artist experimented with uploading his work to early internet platforms, where people online began to borrow, remix and reinvent his character. When the meme proliferated into fringe areas of the internet, the creator sought to reject his creation, even killing him off in a final panel.

But Pepe lived on.

"This demonstrates that creators cannot own imagery," states Prof Bogad. "They can change and shift and be reclaimed."

Until recently, the popularity of this meme meant that amphibian imagery were predominantly linked to conservative politics. This shifted in early October, when an incident between a protestor dressed in a blow-up amphibian suit and an immigration officer in Portland, Oregon spread rapidly online.

This incident occurred shortly after a decision to deploy the National Guard to Portland, which was described as "war-ravaged". Activists began to gather in droves at a specific location, near an immigration enforcement facility.

Tensions were high and an agent deployed pepper spray at the individual, directing it into the air intake fan of the costume.

Seth Todd, Seth Todd, responded with a joke, remarking it tasted like "spicier tamales". Yet the footage became a sensation.

The costume was somewhat typical for Portland, known for its quirky culture and activist demonstrations that embrace the ridiculous – public yoga, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and nude cycling groups. Its creed is "Keep Portland Weird."

The frog became part of in the ensuing legal battle between the federal government and the city, which argued the use of troops overstepped authority.

Although a judge decided that month that the administration was within its rights to send personnel, a minority opinion disagreed, noting in her opinion demonstrators' "well-known penchant for wearing chicken suits when expressing dissent."

"It is easy to see the court's opinion, which accepts the government's characterization as a battlefield, as merely absurd," the dissenting judge opined. "Yet the outcome has serious implications."

The deployment was stopped legally subsequently, and personnel have reportedly departed the area.

Yet already, the frog had transformed into a powerful symbol of resistance for the left.

The costume was seen in many cities at No Kings protests that fall. There were frogs – along with other creatures – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They were in small towns and big international cities like Tokyo and London.

The frog costume was in high demand on major websites, and saw its cost increase.

Mastering the Optics

What brings Pepe and the protest frog – is the interplay between the humorous, benign cartoon and serious intent. Experts call this "tactical frivolity."

This approach relies on what Mr Bogad terms the "irresistible image" – usually humorous, it acts as a "appealing and non-threatening" performance that calls attention to your ideas without needing directly articulating them. It's the goofy costume you wear, or the symbol circulated.

The professor is an analyst in the subject and someone who uses these tactics. He's written a text on the subject, and taught workshops around the world.

"One can look back to the Middle Ages – when people are dominated, absurd humor is used to speak the truth a little bit and still have plausible deniability."

The idea of this approach is multi-faceted, he says.

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