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This protest movement may not be broadcast, though it may feature webbed feet and large eyes.

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

While demonstrations against the leadership carry on in US cities, participants have embraced the energy of a local block party. They have taught dance instruction, given away treats, and performed on unicycles, as police watch.

Combining levity and politics – a tactic researchers call "tactical frivolity" – has historical precedent. However, it has emerged as a defining feature of protests in the United States in the current era, adopted by various groups.

One particular emblem has risen to become especially powerful – the frog. It began when a video of a clash between a man in an inflatable frog and federal officers in the city of Portland, went viral. From there, it proliferated to demonstrations throughout the United States.

"There is much happening with that humble inflatable frog," notes a professor, a professor at UC Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who focuses on political performance.

From Pepe to the Streets of Portland

It is difficult to examine protests and frogs without addressing Pepe, a cartoon character co-opted by far-right groups during an election cycle.

As the meme first took off on the internet, its purpose was to convey certain emotions. Afterwards, it was utilized to endorse a candidate, including a particular image endorsed by the candidate himself, portraying the frog with recognizable attire and hairstyle.

The frog was also portrayed in digital spaces in more extreme scenarios, as a historical dictator. Online conservatives traded "unique frog images" and established cryptocurrency in his name. Its famous line, "feels good, man", was used an inside joke.

Yet its beginnings were not this divisive.

The artist behind it, artist Matt Furie, has stated about his unhappiness for how the image has been used. Pepe was supposed to be simply a "chill frog-dude" in his comic world.

Pepe debuted in a series of comics in the mid-2000s – non-political and notable for a quirky behavior. A film, which documents Mr Furie's efforts to take back of his work, he stated the character came from his time with companions.

Early in his career, the artist experimented with uploading his work to early internet platforms, where the community began to copy, alter, and reinterpret the frog. As its popularity grew into the more extreme corners of the internet, Mr Furie tried to disavow his creation, even killing him off in a comic strip.

Yet the frog persisted.

"It proves that creators cannot own symbols," says Prof Bogad. "Their meaning can evolve and be reworked."

For a long time, the association of this meme meant that frogs were largely associated with the right. But that changed recently, when an incident between a protestor wearing a blow-up amphibian suit and an immigration officer in Portland, Oregon captured global attention.

The event followed a decision to send the National Guard to Portland, which was described as "war-ravaged". Demonstrators began to gather in droves on a single block, near a federal building.

The situation was tense and an immigration officer sprayed pepper spray at a protester, directing it into the opening of the costume.

The protester, Seth Todd, quipped, stating it tasted like "spicier tamales". Yet the footage went viral.

The costume was somewhat typical for Portland, known for its quirky culture and left-wing protests that revel in the absurd – public yoga, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and unique parades. A local saying is "Embrace the Strange."

The frog even played a role in subsequent court proceedings between the federal government and Portland, which contended the use of troops was unlawful.

While a judge decided in October that the administration had the right to deploy troops, a dissenting judge wrote, noting in her opinion demonstrators' "well-known penchant for donning inflatable costumes when expressing their disagreement."

"Some might view this decision, which accepts the government's characterization as a battlefield, as merely absurd," the dissenting judge opined. "But today's decision is not merely absurd."

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

However, by that time, the amphibian costume was now a significant symbol of resistance for the left.

This symbol was spotted nationwide at No Kings protests recently. There were frogs – along with other creatures – in major US cities. They appeared in small towns and big international cities like Tokyo and London.

The frog costume was sold out on online retailers, and saw its cost increase.

Shaping the Visual Story

What brings the two amphibian symbols – lies in the interplay between the silly, innocent image and serious intent. Experts call this "tactical frivolity."

This approach rests on what Mr Bogad calls the "irresistible image" – often silly, it acts as a "disarming and charming" display that highlights a cause without obviously explaining them. This is the unusual prop used, or the symbol you share.

The professor is both an expert in the subject and a veteran practitioner. He authored a text called 'Tactical Performance', and taught workshops around the world.

"One can look back to the Middle Ages – under oppressive regimes, they use absurdity to speak the truth indirectly and while maintaining plausible deniability."

The purpose of such tactics is three-fold, Mr Bogad says.

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