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This protest movement may not be televised, but it could have webbed feet and bulging eyes.

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

While rallies opposing the administration continue in US cities, participants are utilizing the vibe of a community costume parade. They have taught dance instruction, given away snacks, and ridden unicycles, while officers look on.

Mixing comedy and politics – a strategy social scientists refer to as "tactical frivolity" – isn't novel. Yet it has transformed into a hallmark of protests in the United States in recent years, used by various groups.

And one symbol has proven to be notably significant – the frog. It originated after a video of a confrontation between an individual in an amphibian costume and federal officers in the city of Portland, went viral. And it has since spread to protests nationwide.

"There's a lot happening with that small inflatable frog," notes a professor, a professor at UC Davis and an academic who specialises in creative activism.

The Path From Pepe to the Streets of Portland

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

As the meme gained popularity online, people used it to express specific feelings. Later, its use evolved to endorse a political figure, including a particular image retweeted by that figure himself, showing the frog with a signature suit and hair.

Pepe was also depicted in right-wing online communities in darker contexts, portrayed as a hate group member. Online conservatives traded "rare Pepes" and established cryptocurrency using its likeness. Its famous line, "feels good, man", was used an inside joke.

However its beginnings were not this divisive.

Its creator, the illustrator, has stated about his disapproval for how the image has been used. Pepe was supposed to be simply a relaxed amphibian in his comic world.

Pepe debuted in an online comic in 2005 – apolitical and best known for a quirky behavior. In a documentary, which documents Mr Furie's efforts to take back of his work, he stated his drawing was inspired by his time with friends and roommates.

As he started out, the artist tried sharing his art to early internet platforms, where people online began to borrow, remix and reinvent his character. As Pepe spread into darker parts of the internet, the creator sought to reject the frog, even killing him off in a comic strip.

But Pepe lived on.

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

Previously, the popularity of Pepe meant that amphibian imagery were largely associated with conservative politics. This shifted on a day in October, when a confrontation between a protestor wearing a blow-up amphibian suit and an immigration officer in Portland, Oregon spread rapidly online.

The event followed an order to send military personnel to Portland, which was called "war-ravaged". Activists began to congregate at a specific location, near a federal building.

Emotions ran high and a officer used pepper spray at the individual, directing it into the air intake fan of the inflatable suit.

Seth Todd, Seth Todd, responded with a joke, stating he had tasted "spicier tamales". However, the video spread everywhere.

The costume fit right in for the city, famous for its eccentric vibe and activist demonstrations that embrace the ridiculous – outdoor exercise, retro fitness classes, and nude cycling groups. The city's unofficial motto is "Embrace the Strange."

The frog was also referenced in subsequent court proceedings between the federal government and the city, which claimed the use of troops was unlawful.

Although the court ruled that month that the administration had the right to send personnel, a dissenting judge wrote, mentioning the protesters' "known tendency for using unusual attire while voicing dissent."

"Some might view the court's opinion, which adopts the government's characterization as a war zone, as merely absurd," the dissenting judge wrote. "However, this ruling is not merely absurd."

The action was stopped legally soon after, and troops withdrew from the area.

But by then, the frog had transformed into a significant protest icon for the left.

This symbol appeared across the country at anti-authoritarian protests last autumn. Frogs appeared – along with other creatures – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They were in rural communities and big international cities abroad.

The frog costume was backordered on online retailers, and became more expensive.

Mastering the Visual Story

What connects Pepe and the protest frog – lies in the interplay between the silly, innocent image and underlying political significance. This concept is "tactical frivolity."

The strategy rests on what Mr Bogad terms a "disarming display" – usually humorous, it acts as a "disarming and charming" performance that calls attention to your ideas without needing obviously explaining them. It's the silly outfit you wear, or the meme you share.

Mr Bogad is both an expert in the subject and a veteran practitioner. He authored a text called 'Tactical Performance', and taught workshops around the world.

"One can look back to the Middle Ages – under oppressive regimes, they use absurdity to speak the truth indirectly and while maintaining a layer of protection."

The purpose of this approach is three-fold, Mr Bogad explains.

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