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This protest movement may not be broadcast, yet it might possess webbed feet and bulging eyes.

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

As demonstrations opposing the administration continue in American cities, participants are adopting the spirit of a local block party. They've offered dance instruction, given away snacks, and ridden unicycles, while armed law enforcement observe.

Blending levity and political action – a strategy researchers call "tactical frivolity" – is not new. But it has become a signature characteristic of protests in the United States in the current era, embraced by all sides of the political spectrum.

A specific icon has emerged as particularly salient – the frog. It originated when video footage of a clash between a protester in an inflatable frog and ICE agents in the city of Portland, became an internet sensation. It subsequently appeared to rallies across the country.

"There is much going on with that small inflatable frog," says a professor, a professor at University of California, Davis and an academic who focuses on creative activism.

The Path From the Pepe Meme to the Streets of Portland

It is difficult to talk about protests and frogs without talking about Pepe, an illustrated figure adopted by online communities during an election cycle.

Initially, when the character gained popularity online, people used it to signal specific feelings. Later, it was deployed to express backing for a political figure, including one notable meme endorsed by that figure personally, depicting Pepe with recognizable attire and hairstyle.

The frog was also portrayed in certain internet forums in more extreme scenarios, portrayed as a historical dictator. Participants traded "rare Pepes" and established cryptocurrency in his name. Its famous line, "feels good, man", was deployed an inside joke.

But its beginnings were not so controversial.

Its creator, artist Matt Furie, has been vocal about his distaste for how the image has been used. The character was intended as simply an apolitical figure in his comic world.

Pepe first appeared in a series of comics in 2005 – non-political and notable for a quirky behavior. In 'Feels Good Man', which chronicles the creator's attempt to wrest back control of his creation, he stated the character was inspired by his experiences with companions.

As he started out, Mr Furie tried uploading his work to the nascent social web, where the community began to copy, alter, and reinterpret the frog. As its popularity grew into fringe areas of online spaces, Mr Furie tried to disavow his creation, even killing him off in a comic strip.

Yet the frog persisted.

"This demonstrates the lack of control over imagery," states the professor. "They transform and be repurposed."

Until recently, the notoriety of this meme resulted in frogs became a symbol for the right. But that changed in early October, when a viral moment between a protestor dressed in a blow-up amphibian suit and an immigration officer in Portland, Oregon went viral.

The event occurred shortly after a decision to deploy the National Guard to the city, which was described as "a warzone". Activists began to assemble in large numbers outside a facility, just outside of a federal building.

Tensions were high and a officer sprayed a chemical agent at the individual, directing it into the air intake fan of the inflatable suit.

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

The frog suit fit right in for the city, renowned for its quirky culture and left-wing protests that delight in the absurd – public yoga, retro fitness classes, and unique parades. The city's unofficial motto is "Embrace the Strange."

This symbol became part of in subsequent court proceedings between the administration and the city, which contended the use of troops was illegal.

While a ruling was issued that month that the president was within its rights to send personnel, a minority opinion disagreed, referencing in her ruling the protesters' "known tendency for donning inflatable costumes when expressing dissent."

"Some might view the court's opinion, which accepts the government's characterization as a battlefield, as merely absurd," she stated. "However, this ruling is not merely absurd."

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

However, by that time, the amphibian costume had transformed into a significant anti-administration symbol for the left.

This symbol was seen across the country at No Kings protests that fall. Amphibian costumes were present – along with other creatures – in major US cities. They were in rural communities and big international cities like Tokyo and London.

The inflatable suit was sold out on major websites, and saw its cost increase.

Mastering the Visual Story

What brings the two amphibian symbols – lies in the interplay between the humorous, benign cartoon and serious intent. This concept is "tactical frivolity."

This approach rests on what the professor terms a "disarming display" – frequently absurd, it's a "appealing and non-threatening" act that highlights a cause without obviously explaining them. It's the silly outfit used, or the symbol circulated.

Mr Bogad is both an expert on this topic and someone who uses these tactics. He's written a text called 'Tactical Performance', and led seminars internationally.

"You could go back to historical periods – when people are dominated, absurd humor is used to speak the truth a little bit and while maintaining plausible deniability."

The theory of this approach is multi-faceted, Mr Bogad explains.

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