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This protest movement isn't broadcast, but it could have amphibious toes and large eyes.

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

Whilst rallies opposing the leadership continue in American cities, participants have embraced the spirit of a community costume parade. They have taught dance instruction, handed out snacks, and ridden unicycles, while officers observe.

Blending humour and political action – an approach social scientists term "tactical frivolity" – is not new. However, it has emerged as a defining feature of US demonstrations in recent years, adopted by both left and right.

One particular emblem has proven to be notably significant – the frog. It originated after recordings of a clash between a man in an inflatable frog and immigration enforcement agents in the city of Portland, spread online. It subsequently appeared to demonstrations nationwide.

"There's a lot going on with that little blow-up amphibian," states a professor, a professor at UC Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who specialises in political performance.

From the Pepe Meme to Portland

It's challenging to discuss protests and frogs without addressing Pepe, a cartoon character co-opted by far-right groups throughout a previous presidential campaign.

Initially, when the meme initially spread online, it was used to signal specific feelings. Afterwards, it was utilized to endorse a candidate, including a particular image shared by the candidate himself, depicting the frog with a signature suit and hair.

Pepe was also depicted in certain internet forums in more extreme scenarios, as a historical dictator. Users exchanged "rare Pepes" and established cryptocurrency using its likeness. Its famous line, "that feels good", was used a shared phrase.

However the character did not originate so controversial.

Its creator, the illustrator, has stated about his unhappiness for how the image has been used. The character was intended as simply a relaxed amphibian in his comic world.

The frog debuted in an online comic in 2005 – apolitical and famous for a particular bathroom habit. In a documentary, which chronicles Mr Furie's efforts to reclaim ownership of his creation, he said his drawing came from his time with friends and roommates.

When he began, Mr Furie experimented with sharing his art to early internet platforms, where the community began to copy, alter, and reinterpret his character. When the meme proliferated into the more extreme corners of online spaces, Mr Furie sought to reject his creation, even killing him off in a comic strip.

Yet the frog persisted.

"It proves that creators cannot own imagery," states Prof Bogad. "They can change and shift and be reworked."

Until recently, the notoriety of this meme resulted in amphibian imagery became a symbol for conservative politics. A transformation occurred recently, when an incident between an activist dressed in an inflatable frog costume and a federal agent in Portland captured global attention.

This incident came just days after a decision to send the National Guard to Portland, which was described as "a warzone". Demonstrators began to congregate on a single block, just outside of a federal building.

Tensions were high and a officer sprayed a chemical agent at a protester, directing it into the ventilation of the inflatable suit.

The protester, Seth Todd, reacted humorously, saying it tasted like "spicier tamales". Yet the footage became a sensation.

Mr Todd's attire was somewhat typical for the city, known for its quirky culture and left-wing protests that revel in the unusual – public yoga, retro fitness classes, and nude cycling groups. The city's unofficial motto is "Keep Portland Weird."

The frog even played a role in a lawsuit between the administration and the city, which claimed the use of troops was illegal.

While a judge decided in October that the administration was within its rights to deploy troops, one judge dissented, mentioning the protesters' "well-known penchant for wearing chicken suits while voicing their disagreement."

"Observers may be tempted this decision, which accepts the description of Portland as a war zone, as simply ridiculous," Judge Susan Graber wrote. "Yet the outcome has serious implications."

The deployment was "permanently" blocked just a month later, and troops have reportedly departed the area.

But by then, the frog had transformed into a potent symbol of resistance for progressive movements.

This symbol was seen in many cities at anti-authoritarian protests that fall. Frogs appeared – and unicorns and axolotls and dinosaurs – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They appeared in small towns and global metropolises abroad.

This item was sold out on online retailers, and rose in price.

Shaping the Visual Story

What brings both frogs together – is the dynamic between the silly, innocent image and underlying political significance. Experts call this "tactical frivolity."

This approach rests on what the professor terms a "disarming display" – often silly, it's a "disarming and charming" act that draws focus to a message without needing explicitly stating them. This is the goofy costume you wear, or the symbol circulated.

The professor is both an expert on this topic and a veteran practitioner. He authored a book called 'Tactical Performance', and led seminars around the world.

"You could go back to historical periods – under oppressive regimes, absurd humor is used to express dissent indirectly and still have plausible deniability."

The theory of such tactics is three-fold, Mr Bogad explains.

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