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The protest movement may not be broadcast, though it may feature webbed feet and large eyes.

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

While protests against the leadership persist in US cities, demonstrators are adopting the spirit of a neighborhood dress-up party. They've offered dance instruction, handed out snacks, and ridden unicycles, while officers observe.

Blending levity and political action – a strategy researchers refer to as "tactical frivolity" – has historical precedent. Yet it has transformed into a defining feature of American protest in the current era, used by various groups.

One particular emblem has emerged as notably significant – the frog. It originated after recordings of an encounter between a man in an amphibian costume and immigration enforcement agents in Portland, Oregon, went viral. And it has since spread to protests across the country.

"A great deal going on with that little blow-up amphibian," notes an expert, who teaches at UC Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who specialises in performance art.

From the Pepe Meme to the Streets of Portland

It's hard to examine demonstrations and amphibians without mentioning Pepe, a cartoon character embraced by far-right groups during an election cycle.

As the character first took off on the internet, it was used to express specific feelings. Subsequently, its use evolved to show support for a candidate, including one notable meme endorsed by that figure personally, showing Pepe with recognizable attire and hairstyle.

Pepe was also depicted in digital spaces in offensive ways, as a hate group member. Online conservatives traded "rare Pepes" and set up cryptocurrency using its likeness. Its famous line, "that feels good", became an inside joke.

But the character did not originate as a political symbol.

The artist behind it, the illustrator, has been vocal about his distaste for its appropriation. Pepe was supposed to be simply a "chill frog-dude" in his series.

This character first appeared in an online comic in the mid-2000s – non-political and notable for a quirky behavior. In a documentary, which follows the creator's attempt to reclaim ownership of his work, he stated his drawing was inspired by his life with companions.

When he began, Mr Furie tried sharing his art to the nascent social web, where people online began to borrow, remix and reinvent his character. As its popularity grew into fringe areas of the internet, the creator sought to reject his creation, including ending its life in a comic strip.

But Pepe lived on.

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

Previously, the notoriety of Pepe meant that amphibian imagery were largely associated with conservative politics. But that changed on a day in October, when a viral moment between a protestor wearing a blow-up amphibian suit and a federal agent in Portland, Oregon spread rapidly online.

The event came just days after a decision to deploy military personnel to Portland, which was described as "war-ravaged". Activists began to congregate outside a facility, just outside of a federal building.

The situation was tense and an immigration officer deployed pepper spray at a protester, directing it into the air intake fan of the inflatable suit.

Seth Todd, the man in the costume, reacted humorously, remarking he had tasted "something milder". Yet the footage became a sensation.

Mr Todd's attire fit right in for Portland, renowned for its unconventional spirit and activist demonstrations that delight in the unusual – public yoga, retro fitness classes, and nude cycling groups. Its creed is "Keep Portland Weird."

The frog even played a role in subsequent court proceedings between the administration and Portland, which argued the deployment was illegal.

Although a judge decided in October that the president had the right to send personnel, one judge dissented, mentioning the protesters' "propensity for wearing chicken suits when expressing opposition."

"Some might view the majority's ruling, which adopts the description of Portland as a war zone, as simply ridiculous," the dissenting judge stated. "However, this ruling goes beyond absurdity."

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

But by then, the amphibian costume was now a powerful anti-administration symbol for the left.

The costume was spotted nationwide at anti-authoritarian protests that fall. Frogs appeared – along with other creatures – in major US cities. They appeared in rural communities and global metropolises abroad.

The inflatable suit was backordered on online retailers, and saw its cost increase.

Shaping the Narrative

What connects both frogs together – is the relationship between the silly, innocent image and serious intent. This concept is "tactical frivolity."

This approach relies on what the professor calls the "irresistible image" – frequently absurd, it acts as a "appealing and non-threatening" performance that calls attention to a cause without directly articulating them. This is the silly outfit you wear, or the meme you share.

Mr Bogad is both an expert in the subject and someone who uses these tactics. He's written a book on the subject, and taught workshops internationally.

"One can look back to historical periods – when people are dominated, they use absurdity to express dissent indirectly and still have plausible deniability."

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

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