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The protest movement won't be televised, though it may feature amphibious toes and protruding eyes.

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

Whilst demonstrations opposing the leadership persist in American cities, protesters are adopting the vibe of a community costume parade. They have taught salsa lessons, given away treats, and performed on unicycles, while police watch.

Combining comedy and political action – an approach researchers term "tactical frivolity" – is not new. However, it has emerged as a defining feature of American protest in the current era, embraced by both left and right.

And one symbol has emerged as especially powerful – the frog. It began after recordings of a clash between a protester in an inflatable frog and federal officers in Portland, Oregon, spread online. And it has since spread to protests across the country.

"There is much going on with that little blow-up amphibian," notes an expert, who teaches at University of California, Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who studies creative activism.

From the Pepe Meme to the Streets of Portland

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

Initially, when the character first took off on the internet, its purpose was to signal specific feelings. Afterwards, it was deployed to express backing for a candidate, even a particular image retweeted by the candidate personally, portraying Pepe with a signature suit and hair.

The frog was also portrayed in digital spaces in darker contexts, portrayed as a hate group member. Participants exchanged "rare Pepes" and established digital currency using its likeness. His catchphrase, "feels good, man", was used a shared phrase.

However the character did not originate so controversial.

Its creator, the illustrator, has expressed about his distaste for its co-option. The character was intended as simply a relaxed amphibian in his series.

This character debuted in an online comic in the mid-2000s – apolitical and famous for a particular bathroom habit. A film, which chronicles Mr Furie's efforts to wrest back control of his creation, he explained his drawing was inspired by his life with companions.

Early in his career, Mr Furie experimented with sharing his art to the nascent social web, where other users began to copy, alter, and reinterpret the frog. As Pepe spread into fringe areas of online spaces, Mr Furie sought to reject his creation, including ending its life in a final panel.

Yet the frog persisted.

"This demonstrates the lack of control over symbols," states Prof Bogad. "They can change and shift and be reclaimed."

For a long time, the popularity of this meme resulted in frogs were largely associated with conservative politics. But that changed recently, when a confrontation between a protestor dressed in an inflatable frog costume and a federal agent in Portland spread rapidly online.

The event came just days after a directive to send the National Guard to the city, which was called "war-ravaged". Activists 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 inflatable suit.

Seth Todd, the man in the costume, responded with a joke, saying it tasted like "something milder". Yet the footage went viral.

Mr Todd's attire was not too unusual for Portland, famous for its eccentric vibe and activist demonstrations that revel in the ridiculous – public yoga, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and nude cycling groups. A local saying is "Embrace the Strange."

This symbol even played a role in the ensuing legal battle between the federal government and the city, which contended the deployment overstepped authority.

Although a judge decided that month that the president had the right to deploy troops, a minority opinion disagreed, mentioning the protesters' "known tendency for donning inflatable costumes while voicing their disagreement."

"Some might view this decision, which accepts the description of Portland as a battlefield, as merely absurd," Judge Susan Graber opined. "Yet the outcome is not merely absurd."

The order was stopped legally just a month later, and personnel have reportedly departed the city.

Yet already, the amphibian costume was now a powerful anti-administration symbol for progressive movements.

The inflatable suit appeared across the country at No Kings protests last autumn. Amphibian costumes were present – along with other creatures – in major US cities. They were in rural communities and global metropolises abroad.

This item was backordered on online retailers, and became more expensive.

Shaping the Narrative

The link between Pepe and the protest frog – lies in the dynamic between the humorous, benign cartoon and underlying political significance. This concept is "tactical frivolity."

The tactic relies on what Mr Bogad calls a "disarming display" – often silly, it's a "disarming and charming" display that calls attention to a cause without explicitly stating them. This is the goofy costume used, or the meme you share.

Mr Bogad is both an expert on this topic and an experienced participant. He's written a book on the subject, and led seminars internationally.

"You could go back to historical periods – when people are dominated, they use absurdity to speak the truth a little bit and still have plausible deniability."

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

When protesters confront a powerful opposition, a silly costume {takes control of|seizes|influences