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The protest movement isn't broadcast, but it could have amphibious toes and protruding eyes.

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

While rallies against the government persist in US cities, protesters have embraced the spirit of a neighborhood dress-up party. They've offered dance instruction, given away snacks, and performed on unicycles, while police look on.

Mixing comedy and politics – a strategy social scientists term "tactical frivolity" – isn't novel. However, it has emerged as a hallmark of protests in the United States in the current era, embraced by all sides of the political spectrum.

One particular emblem has risen to become particularly salient – the frog. It began after recordings of a clash between a protester in an inflatable frog and immigration enforcement agents in the city of Portland, spread online. It subsequently appeared to protests throughout the United States.

"There's a lot happening with that humble frog costume," notes LM Bogad, who teaches at UC Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who specialises in creative activism.

The Path From Pepe to the Streets of Portland

It is difficult to examine protests and frogs without talking about Pepe, an illustrated figure co-opted by far-right groups during an election cycle.

As this image initially spread on the internet, its purpose was to convey certain emotions. Later, it was utilized to express backing for a political figure, even a particular image shared by the candidate personally, depicting Pepe with recognizable attire and hairstyle.

Pepe was also depicted in certain internet forums in offensive ways, portrayed as a hate group member. Online conservatives exchanged "unique frog images" and set up cryptocurrency using its likeness. Its famous line, "that feels good", was deployed an inside joke.

However Pepe didn't start out so controversial.

Matt Furie, artist Matt Furie, has been vocal about his unhappiness for its appropriation. The character was intended as simply a relaxed amphibian in his comic world.

Pepe debuted in comic strips in the mid-2000s – non-political and notable for a quirky behavior. In 'Feels Good Man', which documents Mr Furie's efforts to reclaim ownership of his work, he stated his drawing was inspired by his life with friends and roommates.

As he started out, the artist experimented with sharing his art to early internet platforms, where other users began to copy, alter, and reinterpret the frog. As Pepe spread into fringe areas of online spaces, the creator tried to disavow his creation, including ending its life in a final panel.

Yet the frog persisted.

"It shows the lack of control over icons," explains Prof Bogad. "They transform and be reclaimed."

Until recently, the notoriety of Pepe meant that frogs were largely associated with the right. A transformation occurred recently, when a confrontation between a protestor wearing an inflatable frog costume and an immigration officer in Portland, Oregon captured global attention.

The moment came just days after a decision to send the National Guard to the city, which was described as "a warzone". Activists began to congregate outside a facility, near an ICE office.

The situation was tense and a officer sprayed irritant at a protester, targeting the opening of the puffy frog costume.

The protester, the man in the costume, responded with a joke, saying he had tasted "something milder". However, the video went viral.

The costume fit right in for the city, famous for its unconventional spirit and activist demonstrations that embrace the absurd – public yoga, retro fitness classes, and unique parades. The city's unofficial motto is "Embrace the Strange."

The costume even played a role in a lawsuit between the administration and Portland, which argued the deployment was unlawful.

Although a judge decided that month that the president was within its rights to send personnel, one judge dissented, mentioning demonstrators' "propensity for wearing chicken suits when expressing opposition."

"It is easy to see the court's opinion, which adopts the description of Portland as a war zone, as merely absurd," Judge Susan Graber wrote. "But today's decision goes beyond absurdity."

The action was "permanently" blocked subsequently, and personnel have reportedly departed the area.

However, by that time, the frog was now a powerful symbol of resistance for the left.

The inflatable suit was spotted nationwide at anti-authoritarian protests last autumn. Amphibian costumes were present – along with other creatures – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They appeared in rural communities and big international cities abroad.

The frog costume was in high demand on online retailers, and became more expensive.

Mastering the Narrative

What connects both frogs together – lies in the relationship between the silly, innocent image and underlying political significance. This concept is "tactical frivolity."

The strategy is based on what the professor terms a "disarming display" – often silly, it acts as a "appealing and non-threatening" act that draws focus to a cause without directly articulating them. It's the goofy costume used, or the symbol you share.

The professor is an analyst on this topic and someone who uses these tactics. He's written a book called 'Tactical Performance', and taught workshops internationally.

"One can look back to historical periods – under oppressive regimes, they use absurdity to express dissent a little bit and still have plausible deniability."

The theory of this approach is three-fold, he says.

As protesters confront authority, humorous attire {takes control of|seizes|influences