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This protest movement may not be televised, but it could have webbed feet and large eyes.

It also might feature the horn of a unicorn or a chicken's feathers.

While protests opposing the government carry on in American cities, demonstrators are adopting the vibe of a local block party. They've offered salsa lessons, handed out treats, and ridden unicycles, while police watch.

Blending humour and political action – a strategy social scientists refer to as "tactical frivolity" – is not new. But it has become a signature characteristic of American protest in the current era, adopted by various groups.

A specific icon has emerged as especially powerful – the frog. It started after recordings of a confrontation between a man in an amphibian costume and immigration enforcement agents in Portland, Oregon, spread online. From there, it proliferated to rallies nationwide.

"A great deal going on with that little blow-up amphibian," states a professor, who teaches at UC Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who studies creative activism.

The Path From Pepe to the Streets of Portland

It's hard to discuss demonstrations and amphibians without mentioning Pepe, an illustrated figure adopted by extremist movements during an election cycle.

When the character first took off on the internet, people used it to convey specific feelings. Later, its use evolved to endorse a candidate, even a particular image retweeted by that figure personally, depicting Pepe with a signature suit and hair.

The frog was also portrayed in right-wing online communities in darker contexts, as a hate group member. Participants exchanged "rare Pepes" and established cryptocurrency in his name. Its famous line, "that feels good", became a shared phrase.

However the character did not originate as a political symbol.

The artist behind it, the illustrator, has been vocal about his unhappiness for its appropriation. His creation was meant as simply a relaxed amphibian in his series.

Pepe first appeared in an online comic in 2005 – non-political and famous for a particular bathroom habit. A film, which chronicles the creator's attempt to wrest back control of his work, he stated the character was inspired by his experiences with friends and roommates.

When he began, the artist tried uploading his work to new websites, where the community began to copy, alter, and reinterpret his character. As its popularity grew into darker parts of the internet, Mr Furie attempted to distance himself from the frog, even killing him off in a comic strip.

Yet the frog persisted.

"This demonstrates that we don't control icons," explains the professor. "Their meaning can evolve and be reworked."

Until recently, the notoriety of Pepe resulted in amphibian imagery were largely associated with conservative politics. But that changed recently, when a viral moment between an activist wearing an inflatable frog costume and a federal agent in Portland, Oregon captured global attention.

The event occurred shortly after a decision to send the National Guard to Portland, which was called "war-ravaged". Activists began to gather in droves at a specific location, just outside of an ICE office.

Emotions ran high and a officer deployed a chemical agent at a protester, aiming directly into the ventilation of the costume.

Seth Todd, the man in the costume, reacted humorously, remarking he had tasted "something milder". But the incident spread everywhere.

Mr Todd's attire fit right in for the city, renowned for its unconventional spirit and activist demonstrations that embrace the unusual – public yoga, retro fitness classes, and nude cycling groups. Its creed is "Keep Portland Weird."

The frog was also referenced in a lawsuit between the federal government and Portland, which argued the use of troops was illegal.

Although a judge decided that month that the president had the right to deploy troops, one judge dissented, referencing in her ruling the protesters' "well-known penchant for donning inflatable costumes when expressing opposition."

"Some might view the court's opinion, which adopts the government's characterization as a war zone, as simply ridiculous," Judge Susan Graber opined. "Yet the outcome is not merely absurd."

The action was "permanently" blocked soon after, and personnel have reportedly departed the area.

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

This symbol appeared nationwide at anti-authoritarian protests that fall. Frogs appeared – along with other creatures – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They appeared in rural communities and big international cities abroad.

The frog costume was backordered on online retailers, and became more expensive.

Controlling the Optics

What brings the two amphibian symbols – lies in the interplay between the silly, innocent image and underlying political significance. This concept is "tactical frivolity."

The tactic is based on what the professor terms the "irresistible image" – usually humorous, it acts as a "appealing and non-threatening" act that calls attention to a cause without explicitly stating them. This is the silly outfit you wear, or the meme you share.

Mr Bogad is an analyst on this topic and an experienced participant. He's written a text called 'Tactical Performance', and taught workshops internationally.

"You could go back to historical periods – when people are dominated, they use absurdity to speak the truth a little bit and while maintaining a layer of protection."

The purpose of this approach is multi-faceted, he says.

As protesters confront the state, humorous attire {takes control of|seizes|influences