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This protest movement isn't televised, though it may feature amphibious toes and bulging eyes.

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

As protests opposing the leadership persist in US cities, protesters have embraced the energy of a local block party. They've provided dance instruction, given away treats, and performed on unicycles, as armed law enforcement watch.

Combining humour and political action – a tactic social scientists call "tactical frivolity" – isn't novel. Yet it has transformed into a hallmark of protests in the United States in this period, embraced by all sides of the political spectrum.

One particular emblem has risen to become particularly salient – the frog. It started when video footage of an encounter between a protester in a frog suit and immigration enforcement agents in the city of Portland, spread online. It subsequently appeared to rallies across the country.

"There is much happening with that little frog costume," states a professor, who teaches at UC Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who specialises in creative activism.

From Pepe to the Streets of Portland

It is difficult to discuss protests and frogs without mentioning Pepe, an illustrated figure embraced by online communities throughout a previous presidential campaign.

When the character first took off online, it was used to signal certain emotions. Subsequently, its use evolved to endorse a political figure, even a particular image retweeted by the candidate himself, showing the frog with recognizable attire and hairstyle.

The frog was also portrayed in digital spaces in darker contexts, portrayed as a hate group member. Participants traded "rare Pepes" and set up digital currency using its likeness. Its famous line, "feels good, man", was deployed a shared phrase.

But its beginnings were not this divisive.

Its creator, artist Matt Furie, has been vocal about his disapproval for its co-option. Pepe was supposed to be simply a relaxed amphibian in his comic world.

This character debuted in comic strips in 2005 – apolitical and best known for a particular bathroom habit. In a documentary, which follows the creator's attempt to reclaim ownership of his work, he said his drawing was inspired by his experiences with friends and roommates.

When he began, Mr Furie experimented with sharing his art to the nascent social web, where people online began to borrow, remix and reinvent his character. As Pepe spread into the more extreme corners of online spaces, Mr Furie tried to disavow the frog, including ending its life in a comic strip.

But Pepe lived on.

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

Previously, the association of Pepe resulted in amphibian imagery were predominantly linked to the right. This shifted in early October, when an incident between a protestor dressed in a blow-up amphibian suit and an immigration officer in Portland went viral.

The event followed a directive to deploy military personnel to Portland, which was described as "a warzone". Demonstrators began to gather in droves at a specific location, just outside of an immigration enforcement facility.

The situation was tense and an immigration officer used irritant at the individual, targeting the opening of the inflatable suit.

Seth Todd, the man in the costume, quipped, remarking he had tasted "spicier tamales". Yet the footage became a sensation.

The costume was somewhat typical for Portland, known for its quirky culture and activist demonstrations that delight in the unusual – public yoga, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and unique parades. The city's unofficial motto is "Keep Portland Weird."

The costume was also referenced in a lawsuit between the federal government and the city, which contended the use of troops was illegal.

While the court ruled in October that the president had the right to deploy troops, a minority opinion disagreed, noting in her opinion the protesters' "known tendency for donning inflatable costumes while voicing their disagreement."

"It is easy to see the majority's ruling, which adopts the description of Portland as a war zone, as merely absurd," Judge Susan Graber stated. "However, this ruling has serious implications."

The deployment was halted by courts soon after, and troops withdrew from the area.

But by then, the frog had become a powerful anti-administration symbol for the left.

The costume appeared in many cities at No Kings protests recently. There were frogs – and unicorns and axolotls and dinosaurs – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They were in small towns and global metropolises abroad.

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

Mastering the Optics

What brings the two amphibian symbols – is the relationship between the humorous, benign cartoon and a deeper political meaning. This is what "tactical frivolity."

The tactic rests on what the professor calls the "irresistible image" – usually humorous, it's a "appealing and non-threatening" display that draws focus to a cause without explicitly stating them. It's the goofy costume used, or the symbol you share.

Mr Bogad is both an expert in the subject and someone who uses these tactics. He's written a book on the subject, and led seminars internationally.

"One can look back to the Middle Ages – under oppressive regimes, absurd humor is used to speak the truth a little bit and while maintaining a layer of protection."

The purpose of such tactics is multi-faceted, Mr Bogad explains.

As protesters take on a powerful opposition, humorous attire {takes control of|seizes|influences