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

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

As protests against the government continue in US cities, demonstrators are adopting the energy of a community costume parade. They've provided salsa lessons, distributed snacks, and ridden unicycles, while armed law enforcement watch.

Combining comedy and political action – a strategy researchers refer to as "tactical frivolity" – has historical precedent. However, it has emerged as a signature characteristic of protests in the United States in this period, used by all sides of the political spectrum.

And one symbol has risen to become notably significant – the frog. It began when recordings of an encounter between a protester in an amphibian costume and federal officers in Portland, Oregon, spread online. It subsequently appeared to demonstrations nationwide.

"A great deal going on with that small frog costume," notes a professor, a professor at UC Davis and an academic who studies creative activism.

The Path From Pepe to Portland

It's hard to discuss demonstrations and amphibians without talking about Pepe, a web comic frog embraced by extremist movements during an election cycle.

Initially, when this image first took off on the internet, its purpose was to signal specific feelings. Subsequently, it was utilized to endorse a political figure, even a particular image shared by the candidate personally, depicting Pepe with recognizable attire and hairstyle.

Images also circulated in certain internet forums in darker contexts, as a historical dictator. Users traded "rare Pepes" and established digital currency using its likeness. His catchphrase, "feels good, man", became a coded signal.

However Pepe didn't start out so controversial.

Matt Furie, artist Matt Furie, has expressed about his disapproval for its co-option. The character was intended as simply a "chill frog-dude" in his comic world.

The frog first appeared in comic strips in 2005 – non-political and notable for a particular bathroom habit. In a documentary, which follows Mr Furie's efforts to reclaim ownership of his work, he stated his drawing came from his time with friends and roommates.

When he began, Mr Furie experimented with uploading his work to the nascent social web, where other users began to borrow, remix and reinvent his character. When the meme proliferated into the more extreme corners of the internet, the creator sought to reject his creation, including ending its life in a comic strip.

However, its legacy continued.

"It proves the lack of control over imagery," explains the professor. "They can change and shift and be repurposed."

Previously, the association of Pepe meant that frogs were largely associated with conservative politics. A transformation occurred recently, when a confrontation between an activist wearing an inflatable frog costume and a federal agent in Portland, Oregon spread rapidly online.

This incident occurred shortly after a directive to send the National Guard to Portland, which was called "a warzone". Activists began to gather in droves on a single block, just outside of an immigration enforcement facility.

Tensions were high and an immigration officer sprayed a chemical agent at the individual, directing it into the ventilation of the puffy frog costume.

The individual, the man in the costume, quipped, stating he had tasted "spicier tamales". But the incident became a sensation.

The frog suit fit right in for the city, known for its quirky culture and left-wing protests that delight in the unusual – public yoga, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and unique parades. Its creed is "Keep Portland Weird."

The costume even played a role in subsequent court proceedings between the administration and the city, which argued the use of troops was illegal.

While the court ruled that month that the administration was within its rights to deploy troops, one judge dissented, mentioning the protesters' "known tendency for wearing chicken suits when expressing their disagreement."

"Some might view this decision, which accepts the description of Portland as a war zone, as simply ridiculous," Judge Susan Graber opined. "But today's decision has serious implications."

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

However, by that time, the frog had become a significant anti-administration symbol for the left.

The inflatable suit was seen in many cities at anti-authoritarian protests last autumn. Amphibian costumes were present – along with other creatures – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They appeared in small towns and global metropolises like Tokyo and London.

The frog costume was sold out on major websites, and saw its cost increase.

Controlling the Visual Story

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

This approach relies on what Mr Bogad calls the "irresistible image" – frequently absurd, it acts as a "appealing and non-threatening" performance that calls attention to your ideas without needing explicitly stating them. It's the silly outfit used, or the meme you share.

The professor is an analyst on this topic and an experienced participant. He's written a text called 'Tactical Performance', and taught workshops internationally.

"You could go back to the Middle Ages – when people are dominated, they use absurdity to express dissent a little bit and still have plausible deniability."

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

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