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This protest movement isn't broadcast, though it may feature webbed feet and protruding eyes.

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

While rallies opposing the leadership carry on in US cities, protesters have embraced the energy of a community costume parade. They've offered salsa lessons, handed out snacks, and performed on unicycles, as armed law enforcement observe.

Mixing levity and political action – a strategy social scientists refer to as "tactical frivolity" – has historical precedent. Yet it has transformed into a defining feature of US demonstrations in this period, embraced by all sides of the political spectrum.

One particular emblem has proven to be particularly salient – the frog. It started after recordings of an encounter between a man in an amphibian costume and immigration enforcement agents in Portland, Oregon, went viral. It subsequently appeared to rallies across the country.

"There is much at play with that little frog costume," notes a professor, a professor at University of California, Davis and an academic who specialises in performance art.

The Path From a Cartoon Frog to the Streets of Portland

It's hard to talk about demonstrations and amphibians without mentioning Pepe, an illustrated figure embraced by far-right groups throughout a previous presidential campaign.

As the character first took off on the internet, it was used to signal specific feelings. Subsequently, it was deployed to endorse a political figure, even a particular image shared by the candidate personally, portraying Pepe with recognizable attire and hairstyle.

Images also circulated in certain internet forums in more extreme scenarios, as a historical dictator. Participants exchanged "rare Pepes" and established cryptocurrency using its likeness. His catchphrase, "feels good, man", was deployed an inside joke.

However Pepe didn't start out this divisive.

Its creator, the illustrator, has stated about his distaste for how the image has been used. The character was intended as simply a "chill frog-dude" in his series.

The frog first appeared in a series of comics in the mid-2000s – non-political and notable for a quirky behavior. A film, which follows Mr Furie's efforts to reclaim ownership of his creation, he explained his drawing was inspired by his life with friends and roommates.

As he started out, the artist experimented with uploading his work to early internet platforms, where people online began to borrow, remix and reinvent his character. As Pepe spread into the more extreme corners of online spaces, the creator attempted to distance himself from his creation, including ending its life in a comic strip.

However, its legacy continued.

"It proves that we don't control imagery," states Prof Bogad. "Their meaning can evolve and be repurposed."

Previously, the association of this meme resulted in frogs became a symbol for the right. A transformation occurred in early October, when an incident between an activist wearing a blow-up amphibian suit and a federal agent in Portland, Oregon spread rapidly online.

This incident occurred shortly after a decision to deploy the National Guard to the city, which was described as "war-ravaged". Demonstrators began to assemble in large numbers on a single block, near an ICE office.

Emotions ran high and an agent used irritant at the individual, targeting the air intake fan of the puffy frog costume.

Seth Todd, Seth Todd, reacted humorously, saying he had tasted "spicier tamales". Yet the footage went viral.

The frog suit fit right in for the city, known for its eccentric vibe and left-wing protests that revel in the absurd – public yoga, retro fitness classes, and nude cycling groups. The city's unofficial motto is "Keep Portland Weird."

This symbol even played a role in a lawsuit between the federal government and Portland, which claimed the use of troops was unlawful.

While a ruling was issued that month that the administration was within its rights to deploy troops, one judge dissented, referencing in her ruling the protesters' "well-known penchant for using unusual attire when expressing opposition."

"Observers may be tempted this decision, which accepts the description of Portland as a battlefield, as merely absurd," the dissenting judge stated. "However, this ruling is not merely absurd."

The deployment was halted by courts just a month later, and troops are said to have left the city.

But by then, the frog had become a powerful protest icon for the left.

The costume appeared nationwide at anti-authoritarian protests recently. There were frogs – along with other creatures – in major US cities. They appeared in rural communities and big international cities abroad.

The inflatable suit was in high demand on major websites, and became more expensive.

Controlling the Visual Story

The link between the two amphibian symbols – lies in the dynamic between the silly, innocent image and underlying political significance. This concept is "tactical frivolity."

The strategy relies on what Mr Bogad calls the "irresistible image" – often silly, it acts as a "disarming and charming" performance that highlights a message without directly articulating them. It's the silly outfit used, or the meme you share.

The professor is an analyst in the subject and an experienced participant. He's written a book on the subject, and taught workshops around the world.

"You could go back to historical periods – when people are dominated, they use absurdity to express dissent indirectly and while maintaining plausible deniability."

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

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