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This protest movement isn't broadcast, but it could have amphibious toes and bulging eyes.

Furthermore, it may involve a unicorn's horn or a chicken's feathers.

As protests opposing the government persist in US cities, protesters have embraced the energy of a neighborhood dress-up party. They have taught salsa lessons, given away treats, and performed on unicycles, as police watch.

Combining humour and political action – an approach social scientists call "tactical frivolity" – is not new. Yet it has transformed into a signature characteristic of protests in the United States in this period, adopted by various groups.

And one symbol has emerged as particularly salient – the frog. It originated when a video of a confrontation between a man in a frog suit and federal officers in the city of Portland, went viral. From there, it proliferated to rallies throughout the United States.

"A great deal going on with that little frog costume," states LM Bogad, a professor at University of California, Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who studies political performance.

From a Cartoon Frog to Portland

It is difficult to talk about demonstrations and amphibians without addressing Pepe, a web comic frog adopted by online communities throughout a political race.

When the character gained popularity online, its purpose was to convey certain emotions. Later, its use evolved to express backing for a political figure, including a particular image endorsed by the candidate personally, portraying Pepe with a signature suit and hair.

Pepe was also depicted in certain internet forums in darker contexts, portrayed as a hate group member. Online conservatives exchanged "rare Pepes" and set up digital currency using its likeness. His catchphrase, "that feels good", became a coded signal.

But its beginnings were not this divisive.

Matt Furie, artist Matt Furie, has stated about his unhappiness for its appropriation. His creation was meant as simply a relaxed amphibian in his series.

The frog first appeared in an online comic in 2005 – apolitical and best known for a quirky behavior. A film, which follows Mr Furie's efforts to reclaim ownership of his work, he explained his drawing came from his time with companions.

As he started out, the artist experimented with uploading his work to the nascent social web, where the community began to borrow, remix and reinvent the frog. When the meme proliferated into fringe areas of the internet, the creator sought to reject the frog, including ending its life in a final panel.

But Pepe lived on.

"It proves that creators cannot own icons," says the professor. "They can change and shift and be repurposed."

Until recently, the notoriety of this meme meant that frogs became a symbol for conservative politics. A transformation occurred in early October, when a viral moment between an activist dressed in an inflatable frog costume and an immigration officer in Portland, Oregon went viral.

The moment came just days after a directive to deploy the National Guard to the city, which was called "a warzone". Demonstrators began to congregate at a specific location, just outside of an immigration enforcement facility.

The situation was tense and a officer deployed irritant at a protester, directing it into the opening of the puffy frog costume.

Seth Todd, Seth Todd, responded with a joke, stating it tasted like "spicier tamales". But the incident went viral.

Mr Todd's attire was somewhat typical for Portland, renowned for its eccentric vibe and activist demonstrations that revel in the absurd – public yoga, retro fitness classes, and nude cycling groups. The city's unofficial motto is "Embrace the Strange."

This symbol became part of in the ensuing legal battle between the administration and the city, which contended the deployment overstepped authority.

Although a ruling was issued in October that the president had the right to deploy troops, a dissenting judge wrote, referencing in her ruling the protesters' "known tendency for using unusual attire while voicing their disagreement."

"It is easy to see the majority's ruling, which adopts the government's characterization as a war zone, as simply ridiculous," she opined. "But today's decision is not merely absurd."

The deployment was "permanently" blocked just a month later, and troops withdrew from the city.

However, by that time, the amphibian costume was now a potent anti-administration symbol for progressive movements.

The inflatable suit was seen in many cities at No Kings protests that fall. There were frogs – and unicorns and axolotls and dinosaurs – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They appeared in small towns and global metropolises abroad.

This item was sold out on major websites, and became more expensive.

Shaping the Narrative

What connects the two amphibian symbols – is the dynamic between the silly, innocent image and a deeper political meaning. This is what "tactical frivolity."

The strategy rests on what the professor calls a "disarming display" – often silly, it acts as a "appealing and non-threatening" act that highlights a message without directly articulating them. This is the goofy costume you wear, or the symbol circulated.

The professor is an analyst in the subject and someone who uses these tactics. He authored a book on the subject, and led seminars internationally.

"One can look back to the Middle Ages – under oppressive regimes, they use absurdity to express dissent indirectly and while maintaining plausible deniability."

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

As protesters confront the state, a silly costume {takes control of|seizes|influences