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This protest movement won't be broadcast, though it may feature webbed feet and large eyes.

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

As protests against the administration continue in US cities, demonstrators have embraced the vibe of a community costume parade. They've provided dance instruction, given away snacks, and performed on unicycles, while armed law enforcement observe.

Combining comedy and political action – an approach researchers refer to as "tactical frivolity" – isn't novel. But it has become a defining feature of US demonstrations in the current era, embraced by various groups.

And one symbol has proven to be especially powerful – the frog. It originated when recordings of a clash between a protester in an inflatable frog and ICE agents in Portland, Oregon, spread online. It subsequently appeared to demonstrations nationwide.

"There is much going on with that little blow-up amphibian," says a professor, who teaches at University of California, Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who specialises in creative activism.

From Pepe to the Streets of Portland

It's hard to talk about protests and frogs without addressing Pepe, a cartoon character embraced by extremist movements during an election cycle.

Initially, when the meme gained popularity online, its purpose was to express certain emotions. Later, its use evolved to express backing for a candidate, even one notable meme shared by that figure himself, depicting the frog with a signature suit and hair.

The frog was also portrayed in right-wing online communities in more extreme scenarios, as a historical dictator. Participants traded "rare Pepes" and set up cryptocurrency using its likeness. His catchphrase, "feels good, man", was deployed an inside joke.

However the character did not originate so controversial.

Its creator, artist Matt Furie, has expressed about his unhappiness for its co-option. His creation was meant as simply an apolitical figure in this artist's universe.

The frog debuted in an online comic in the mid-2000s – apolitical and notable for a particular bathroom habit. In a documentary, which follows the creator's attempt to reclaim ownership of his work, he explained his drawing came from his life with friends and roommates.

When he began, the artist tried sharing his art to the nascent social web, where the community began to borrow, remix and reinvent his character. When the meme proliferated into fringe areas of online spaces, the creator tried to disavow his creation, even killing him off in a comic strip.

Yet the frog persisted.

"This demonstrates that we don't control imagery," explains Prof Bogad. "Their meaning can evolve and be reclaimed."

Previously, the association of Pepe meant that frogs were predominantly linked to the right. A transformation occurred on a day in October, when a viral moment between a protestor wearing an inflatable frog costume and a federal agent in Portland went viral.

The moment occurred shortly after an order to deploy the National Guard to Portland, which was called "war-ravaged". Protesters began to assemble in large numbers outside a facility, just outside of an immigration enforcement facility.

Tensions were high and an immigration officer deployed pepper spray at the individual, directing it into the ventilation of the puffy frog costume.

The individual, Seth Todd, reacted humorously, saying it tasted like "something milder". Yet the footage went viral.

Mr Todd's attire was not too unusual for the city, famous for its unconventional spirit and activist demonstrations that embrace the absurd – public yoga, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and unique parades. A local saying is "Keep Portland Weird."

This symbol became part of in the ensuing legal battle between the federal government and the city, which contended the use of troops was illegal.

While the court ruled that month that the president had the right to send personnel, a dissenting judge wrote, referencing in her ruling demonstrators' "propensity for donning inflatable costumes while voicing opposition."

"Some might view this decision, which adopts the government's characterization as a battlefield, as simply ridiculous," Judge Susan Graber opined. "However, this ruling is not merely absurd."

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

Yet already, the frog had become a significant symbol of resistance for progressive movements.

The costume was seen across the country at No Kings protests that fall. Frogs appeared – and unicorns and axolotls and dinosaurs – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They were in rural communities and big international cities abroad.

The inflatable suit was sold out on online retailers, and became more expensive.

Shaping the Narrative

What connects Pepe and the protest frog – lies in the relationship between the silly, innocent image and a deeper political meaning. Experts call this "tactical frivolity."

The tactic rests on what the professor calls a "disarming display" – usually humorous, it acts as a "appealing and non-threatening" performance that calls attention to a message without needing directly articulating them. This is the goofy costume you wear, or the symbol you share.

Mr Bogad is an analyst in the subject and someone who uses these tactics. He authored a text called 'Tactical Performance', and taught workshops internationally.

"One can look back to the Middle Ages – under oppressive regimes, absurd humor is used to express dissent a little bit and while maintaining plausible deniability."

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

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