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This protest movement isn't broadcast, yet it might possess webbed feet and bulging eyes.

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

While protests against the administration persist in US cities, demonstrators have embraced the energy of a neighborhood dress-up party. They have taught dance instruction, handed out treats, and performed on unicycles, while officers look on.

Blending comedy and politics – a strategy researchers call "tactical frivolity" – has historical precedent. But it has become a signature characteristic of American protest in recent years, adopted by both left and right.

And one symbol has risen to become particularly salient – the frog. It originated when video footage of an encounter between a protester in an inflatable frog and federal officers in the city of Portland, went viral. And it has since spread to demonstrations across the country.

"There's a lot going on with that humble inflatable frog," notes a professor, a professor at UC Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who studies creative activism.

The Path From a Cartoon Frog to the Streets of Portland

It's hard to examine demonstrations and amphibians without addressing Pepe, an illustrated figure embraced by online communities during a previous presidential campaign.

When this image initially spread on the internet, people used it to convey certain emotions. Afterwards, its use evolved to show support for a political figure, including a particular image shared by that figure personally, showing the frog with a signature suit and hair.

Images also circulated in digital spaces in offensive ways, portrayed as a historical dictator. Users exchanged "rare Pepes" and set up digital currency in his name. Its famous line, "that feels good", was used a coded signal.

But Pepe didn't start out so controversial.

The artist behind it, artist Matt Furie, has been vocal about his disapproval for its co-option. Pepe was supposed to be simply a "chill frog-dude" in this artist's universe.

This character first appeared in comic strips in the mid-2000s – non-political and notable for a quirky behavior. In a documentary, which documents Mr Furie's efforts to take back of his work, he said the character came from his time with companions.

As he started out, Mr Furie experimented with uploading his work to early internet platforms, where people online began to copy, alter, and reinterpret the frog. When the meme proliferated into fringe areas of online spaces, Mr Furie attempted to distance himself from the frog, even killing him off in a comic strip.

But Pepe lived on.

"This demonstrates that we don't control imagery," says Prof Bogad. "They can change and shift and be reworked."

For a long time, the association of this meme resulted in frogs became a symbol for conservative politics. A transformation occurred recently, when a confrontation between a protestor dressed in an inflatable frog costume and an immigration officer in Portland captured global attention.

This incident occurred shortly after a decision to send the National Guard to the city, which was described as "a warzone". Demonstrators began to congregate at a specific location, just outside of a federal building.

Tensions were high and an immigration officer used pepper spray at the individual, directing it into the ventilation of the inflatable suit.

The individual, the man in the costume, quipped, saying he had tasted "something milder". But the incident spread everywhere.

Mr Todd's attire was not too unusual for the city, known for its quirky culture and left-wing protests that embrace the unusual – public yoga, retro fitness classes, and nude cycling groups. A local saying is "Keep Portland Weird."

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

Although the court ruled in October that the president had the right to deploy troops, a minority opinion disagreed, mentioning the protesters' "known tendency for donning inflatable costumes when expressing opposition."

"Observers may be tempted this decision, which accepts the government's characterization as a war zone, as simply ridiculous," she opined. "Yet the outcome has serious implications."

The order was stopped legally subsequently, and troops have reportedly departed the area.

However, by that time, the amphibian costume had become a significant anti-administration symbol for progressive movements.

The costume was spotted in many cities at anti-authoritarian protests that fall. There were frogs – and unicorns and axolotls and dinosaurs – in major US cities. They were in rural communities and global metropolises abroad.

The frog costume was backordered on major websites, and rose in price.

Mastering the Visual Story

What brings Pepe and the protest frog – lies in the dynamic between the silly, innocent image and underlying political significance. Experts call this "tactical frivolity."

This approach rests on what the professor calls a "disarming display" – often silly, it acts as a "disarming and charming" display that draws focus to a cause without directly articulating them. This is the goofy costume used, or the meme you share.

Mr Bogad is both an expert in the subject and a veteran practitioner. He's written a book on the subject, and taught workshops internationally.

"One can look back to historical periods – when people are dominated, absurd humor is used to speak the truth indirectly and while maintaining plausible deniability."

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

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