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

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

As rallies opposing the administration carry on in US cities, protesters are utilizing the spirit of a community costume parade. They've provided salsa lessons, given away treats, and ridden unicycles, as officers look on.

Mixing humour and politics – a tactic social scientists term "tactical frivolity" – isn't novel. But it has become a signature characteristic of US demonstrations in recent years, embraced by all sides of the political spectrum.

One particular emblem has emerged as especially powerful – the frog. It started after a video of a confrontation between an individual in an inflatable frog and ICE agents in Portland, Oregon, went viral. And it has since spread to rallies nationwide.

"There's a lot happening with that humble frog costume," notes a professor, a professor at University of California, Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who focuses on political performance.

The Path From the Pepe Meme to Portland

It's challenging to examine demonstrations and amphibians without addressing Pepe, a cartoon character adopted by far-right groups throughout a political race.

As this image gained popularity online, its purpose was to signal certain emotions. Afterwards, it was utilized to endorse a candidate, including a particular image retweeted by that figure personally, depicting Pepe with recognizable attire and hairstyle.

Images also circulated in right-wing online communities in more extreme scenarios, portrayed as a hate group member. Online conservatives exchanged "unique frog images" and established digital currency in his name. Its famous line, "feels good, man", was used an inside joke.

But Pepe didn't start out so controversial.

The artist behind it, artist Matt Furie, has stated about his unhappiness for how the image has been used. The character was intended as simply an apolitical figure in his comic world.

This character first appeared in comic strips in the mid-2000s – non-political and best known for a particular bathroom habit. In a documentary, which follows Mr Furie's efforts to reclaim ownership of his work, he stated his drawing came from his experiences with friends and roommates.

Early in his career, the artist tried uploading his work to early internet platforms, where the community began to copy, alter, and reinterpret the frog. As Pepe spread into the more extreme corners of the internet, Mr Furie sought to reject his creation, including ending its life in a comic strip.

However, its legacy continued.

"It proves that we don't control icons," says the professor. "They can change and shift and be reworked."

For a long time, the notoriety of Pepe meant that amphibian imagery became a symbol for conservative politics. This shifted on a day in October, when a confrontation between a protestor dressed in an inflatable frog costume and an immigration officer in Portland, Oregon went viral.

The moment came just days after a decision to send military personnel to Portland, which was described as "a warzone". Demonstrators began to assemble in large numbers at a specific location, near an ICE office.

Tensions were high and a officer deployed irritant at a protester, targeting the air intake fan of the inflatable suit.

The individual, Seth Todd, reacted humorously, remarking it tasted like "something milder". But the incident spread everywhere.

The frog suit was not too unusual for the city, famous for its eccentric vibe and left-wing protests that revel in the absurd – outdoor exercise, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and unique parades. The city's unofficial motto is "Embrace the Strange."

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

Although a ruling was issued in October that the president was within its rights to send personnel, a dissenting judge wrote, referencing in her ruling the protesters' "well-known penchant for donning inflatable costumes when expressing opposition."

"Observers may be tempted the majority's ruling, which accepts the government's characterization as a war zone, as simply ridiculous," the dissenting judge wrote. "However, this ruling is not merely absurd."

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

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

This symbol was seen across the country at No Kings protests that fall. Frogs appeared – along with other creatures – in major US cities. They appeared in small towns and global metropolises like Tokyo and London.

The inflatable suit was sold out on major websites, and saw its cost increase.

Mastering the Optics

What brings Pepe and the protest frog – is the interplay between the silly, innocent image and a deeper political meaning. This is what "tactical frivolity."

The strategy relies on what the professor terms the "irresistible image" – usually humorous, it's a "disarming and charming" display that draws focus to your ideas without needing explicitly stating them. It's the goofy costume you wear, or the symbol you share.

The professor is an analyst on this topic and someone who uses these tactics. He authored a text called 'Tactical Performance', and led seminars internationally.

"You could go back to the Middle Ages – when people are dominated, they use absurdity to express dissent indirectly and still have a layer of protection."

The idea of such tactics is three-fold, he says.

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