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The protest movement isn't broadcast, though it may feature amphibious toes and bulging eyes.

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

Whilst protests against the government continue in US cities, demonstrators have embraced the vibe of a neighborhood dress-up party. They have taught salsa lessons, handed out treats, and ridden unicycles, while officers look on.

Blending humour and political action – an approach experts call "tactical frivolity" – is not new. But it has become a hallmark of protests in the United States in recent years, used by all sides of the political spectrum.

One particular emblem has risen to become especially powerful – the frog. It originated after video footage of an encounter between an individual in a frog suit and federal officers in Portland, Oregon, became an internet sensation. From there, it proliferated to rallies across the country.

"A great deal happening with that humble frog costume," states a professor, a professor at University of California, Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who specialises in political performance.

From Pepe to Portland

It's hard to talk about demonstrations and amphibians without mentioning Pepe, an illustrated figure embraced by far-right groups during an election cycle.

As the meme gained popularity on the internet, it was used to signal certain emotions. Afterwards, it was deployed to express backing for a candidate, even a particular image retweeted by that figure personally, portraying the frog with a signature suit and hair.

Pepe was also depicted in digital spaces in more extreme scenarios, portrayed as a historical dictator. Participants exchanged "unique frog images" and established digital currency in his name. Its famous line, "that feels good", was used a coded signal.

Yet the character did not originate this divisive.

Matt Furie, the illustrator, has stated about his disapproval for its co-option. Pepe was supposed to be simply a relaxed amphibian in his series.

Pepe debuted in comic strips in the mid-2000s – apolitical and famous for a quirky behavior. In a documentary, which documents the creator's attempt to take back of his creation, he explained the character came from his experiences with companions.

As he started out, Mr Furie experimented with sharing his art to the nascent social web, where the community began to copy, alter, and reinterpret the frog. When the meme proliferated into darker parts of the internet, the creator attempted to distance himself from his creation, even killing him off in a comic strip.

Yet the frog persisted.

"It shows the lack of control over icons," explains Prof Bogad. "Their meaning can evolve and be repurposed."

For a long time, the association of Pepe resulted in amphibian imagery became a symbol for conservative politics. But that changed in early October, when a confrontation between a protestor dressed in an inflatable frog costume and a federal agent in Portland, Oregon spread rapidly online.

The event followed an order to send the National Guard to the city, which was called "a warzone". Protesters began to gather in droves at a specific location, near a federal building.

Tensions were high and an agent deployed pepper spray at a protester, aiming directly into the ventilation of the puffy frog costume.

The protester, Seth Todd, reacted humorously, remarking he had tasted "spicier tamales". Yet the footage spread everywhere.

The costume was somewhat typical for Portland, renowned for its eccentric vibe and activist demonstrations that revel in the absurd – public yoga, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and unique parades. A local saying is "Embrace the Strange."

The costume even played a role in subsequent court proceedings between the federal government and the city, which argued the deployment overstepped authority.

While the court ruled in October that the president had the right to send personnel, one judge dissented, referencing in her ruling demonstrators' "known tendency for donning inflatable costumes while voicing dissent."

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

The action was halted by courts soon after, and personnel withdrew from the city.

But by then, the frog was now a powerful symbol of resistance for progressive movements.

The costume was spotted in many cities at No Kings protests last autumn. Amphibian costumes were present – and unicorns and axolotls and dinosaurs – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They were in small towns and big international cities abroad.

The inflatable suit was backordered on major websites, and became more expensive.

Mastering the Narrative

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

This approach rests on what Mr Bogad calls a "disarming display" – often silly, it's a "disarming and charming" display that draws focus to your ideas without needing directly articulating them. It's the unusual prop you wear, or the symbol you share.

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

"One can look back to the Middle Ages – when people are dominated, absurd humor is used to speak the truth indirectly and while maintaining plausible deniability."

The purpose of such tactics is multi-faceted, he explains.

As activists take on authority, humorous attire {takes control of|seizes|influences