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The protest movement won't be broadcast, but it could have webbed feet and protruding eyes.

It also might feature a unicorn's horn or a chicken's feathers.

Whilst demonstrations opposing the administration persist in US cities, participants have embraced the spirit of a community costume parade. They have taught salsa lessons, given away snacks, and performed on unicycles, while armed law enforcement look on.

Combining comedy and politics – a strategy researchers refer to as "tactical frivolity" – has historical precedent. Yet it has transformed into a defining feature of protests in the United States in recent years, used by all sides of the political spectrum.

And one symbol has emerged as especially powerful – the frog. It started when a video of an encounter between an individual in an amphibian costume and immigration enforcement agents in the city of Portland, became an internet sensation. It subsequently appeared to demonstrations nationwide.

"There is much at play with that small blow-up amphibian," says a professor, who teaches at UC Davis and an academic who studies performance art.

The Path From the Pepe Meme to the Streets of Portland

It's hard to examine protests and frogs without talking about Pepe, a web comic frog co-opted by extremist movements during a political race.

As this image gained popularity on the internet, people used it to convey certain emotions. Later, its use evolved to express backing for a political figure, including a particular image endorsed by that figure personally, showing the frog with recognizable attire and hairstyle.

Pepe was also depicted in certain internet forums in offensive ways, as a hate group member. Users traded "rare Pepes" and set up cryptocurrency in his name. Its famous line, "that feels good", was deployed a coded signal.

Yet its beginnings were not this divisive.

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

The frog debuted in an online comic in the mid-2000s – apolitical and famous for a particular bathroom habit. In 'Feels Good Man', which chronicles Mr Furie's efforts to reclaim ownership of his work, he said the character was inspired by his time with friends and roommates.

When he began, the artist tried sharing his art to new websites, where the community began to borrow, remix and reinvent the frog. As Pepe spread into darker parts of the internet, the creator sought to reject the frog, even killing him off in a final panel.

But Pepe lived on.

"It proves that we don't control icons," states Prof Bogad. "They can change and shift and be repurposed."

For a long time, the association of Pepe resulted in frogs were largely associated with conservative politics. But that changed recently, when an incident between an activist wearing a blow-up amphibian suit and a federal agent in Portland, Oregon spread rapidly online.

The moment followed a directive to send the National Guard to Portland, which was called "war-ravaged". Activists began to assemble in large numbers outside a facility, just outside of a federal building.

Emotions ran high and an agent sprayed a chemical agent at a protester, aiming directly into the air intake fan of the costume.

The protester, the man in the costume, reacted humorously, stating he had tasted "something milder". Yet the footage became a sensation.

Mr Todd's attire was not too unusual for Portland, renowned for its eccentric vibe and activist demonstrations that embrace the ridiculous – public yoga, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and nude cycling groups. A local saying is "Keep Portland Weird."

The costume was also referenced in a lawsuit between the administration and Portland, which claimed the deployment overstepped authority.

While a ruling was issued in October that the president was within its rights to send personnel, a minority opinion disagreed, noting in her opinion demonstrators' "known tendency for donning inflatable costumes when expressing opposition."

"It is easy to see the majority's ruling, which adopts the government's characterization as a battlefield, as simply ridiculous," the dissenting judge stated. "But today's decision is not merely absurd."

The action was "permanently" blocked just a month later, and personnel are said to have left the area.

Yet already, the frog had become a significant protest icon for progressive movements.

The inflatable suit was seen nationwide at anti-authoritarian protests recently. Amphibian costumes were present – and unicorns and axolotls and dinosaurs – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They were in rural communities and global metropolises like Tokyo and London.

The inflatable suit was backordered on major websites, and became more expensive.

Mastering the Narrative

What connects both frogs together – lies in the interplay between the humorous, benign cartoon and a deeper political meaning. This concept is "tactical frivolity."

This approach rests on what Mr Bogad calls a "disarming display" – frequently absurd, it acts as a "appealing and non-threatening" performance that highlights your ideas without needing explicitly stating them. This is the silly outfit you wear, or the symbol circulated.

The professor is both an expert in the subject and a veteran practitioner. He's written a text on the subject, and led seminars around the world.

"You could go back to historical periods – when people are dominated, absurd humor is used to express dissent a little bit and still have a layer of protection."

The theory of this approach is three-fold, he explains.

As protesters confront the state, humorous attire {takes control of|seizes|influences