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This protest movement may not be televised, though it may feature amphibious toes and large eyes.

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

Whilst rallies opposing the administration continue in US cities, protesters have embraced the vibe of a community costume parade. They've offered salsa lessons, distributed snacks, and ridden unicycles, as armed law enforcement look on.

Combining comedy and politics – a tactic researchers refer to as "tactical frivolity" – has historical precedent. But it has become a signature characteristic of US demonstrations in this period, adopted by both left and right.

A specific icon has emerged as notably significant – the frog. It began when video footage of a confrontation between a man in an inflatable frog and ICE agents in the city of Portland, spread online. From there, it proliferated to protests throughout the United States.

"A great deal happening with that humble frog costume," notes LM Bogad, who teaches at University of California, Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who focuses on performance art.

From a Cartoon Frog to Portland

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

When this image initially spread online, people used it to express specific feelings. Afterwards, its use evolved to endorse a political figure, including a particular image retweeted by that figure personally, portraying Pepe with a signature suit and hair.

Images also circulated in right-wing online communities in more extreme scenarios, as a historical dictator. Users exchanged "rare Pepes" and set up cryptocurrency using its likeness. Its famous line, "feels good, man", was used a shared phrase.

However Pepe didn't start out as a political symbol.

The artist behind it, the illustrator, has expressed about his unhappiness for how the image has been used. The character was intended as simply a "chill frog-dude" in his comic world.

This character first appeared in comic strips in 2005 – apolitical and best known for a particular bathroom habit. In a documentary, which chronicles Mr Furie's efforts to reclaim ownership of his work, he stated his drawing was inspired by his life with friends and roommates.

When he began, Mr Furie experimented with uploading his work to the nascent social web, where people online began to copy, alter, and reinterpret his character. When the meme proliferated into fringe areas of the internet, Mr Furie sought to reject the frog, even killing him off in a final panel.

However, its legacy continued.

"It shows that creators cannot own imagery," says the professor. "Their meaning can evolve and be reclaimed."

Until recently, the association of Pepe meant that amphibian imagery became a symbol for conservative politics. This shifted recently, when a viral moment between an activist wearing a blow-up amphibian suit and a federal agent in Portland, Oregon went viral.

The event occurred shortly after a directive to deploy military personnel to the city, which was called "a warzone". Demonstrators began to assemble in large numbers at a specific location, just outside of an immigration enforcement facility.

Tensions were high and an immigration officer used a chemical agent at the individual, aiming directly into the air intake fan of the costume.

The protester, Seth Todd, quipped, stating he had tasted "spicier tamales". But the incident spread everywhere.

Mr Todd's attire was not too unusual for Portland, known for its unconventional spirit and left-wing protests that embrace the absurd – public yoga, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and unique parades. A local saying is "Keep Portland Weird."

The costume even played a role in subsequent court proceedings between the federal government and the city, which contended the use of troops overstepped authority.

Although a judge decided that month that the president was within its rights to deploy troops, one judge dissented, noting in her opinion demonstrators' "propensity for wearing chicken suits while voicing their disagreement."

"Some might view the court's opinion, which adopts the government's characterization as a war zone, as simply ridiculous," she opined. "But today's decision is not merely absurd."

The action was stopped legally soon after, and personnel have reportedly departed the city.

But by then, the amphibian costume was now a significant protest icon for progressive movements.

This symbol was spotted in many cities at No Kings protests that fall. There were frogs – and unicorns and axolotls and dinosaurs – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They appeared in rural communities and global metropolises like Tokyo and London.

The inflatable suit was in high demand on online retailers, and rose in price.

Shaping the Narrative

What brings the two amphibian symbols – is the dynamic between the silly, innocent image and a deeper political meaning. This is what "tactical frivolity."

The tactic rests on what the professor calls the "irresistible image" – often silly, it acts as a "appealing and non-threatening" display that draws focus to a message without needing obviously explaining them. It's the silly outfit you wear, or the meme circulated.

The professor is an analyst in the subject and a veteran practitioner. He's written a text on the subject, and led seminars around the world.

"One can look back to historical periods – under oppressive regimes, they use absurdity to speak the truth a little bit and while maintaining a layer of protection."

The purpose of such tactics is multi-faceted, he says.

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