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The protest movement may not be broadcast, though it may feature webbed feet and bulging eyes.

It also might feature the horn of a unicorn or the plumage of a chicken.

As demonstrations opposing the government carry on in American cities, demonstrators are utilizing the vibe of a community costume parade. They've provided dance instruction, handed out treats, and performed on unicycles, while police observe.

Mixing levity and politics – a tactic experts refer to as "tactical frivolity" – has historical precedent. However, it has emerged as a signature characteristic of American protest in recent years, embraced by both left and right.

One particular emblem has risen to become particularly salient – the frog. It started when recordings of an encounter between an individual in an amphibian costume and federal officers in the city of Portland, spread online. It subsequently appeared to demonstrations throughout the United States.

"There's a lot at play with that small blow-up amphibian," states LM Bogad, who teaches at UC Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who studies political performance.

The Path From the Pepe Meme to the Streets of Portland

It's challenging to talk about protests and frogs without talking about Pepe, a web comic frog co-opted by online communities during a political race.

Initially, when this image gained popularity online, it was used to convey specific feelings. Afterwards, it was deployed to express backing for a candidate, even a particular image retweeted by the candidate himself, depicting Pepe with a signature suit and hair.

The frog was also portrayed in right-wing online communities in darker contexts, portrayed as a historical dictator. Online conservatives exchanged "rare Pepes" and set up cryptocurrency using its likeness. His catchphrase, "that feels good", was deployed a shared phrase.

However the character did not originate so controversial.

Its creator, the illustrator, has been vocal about his disapproval for how the image has been used. His creation was meant as simply an apolitical figure in this artist's universe.

This character first appeared in a series of comics in the mid-2000s – non-political and notable for a particular bathroom habit. In a documentary, which chronicles the creator's attempt to reclaim ownership of his work, he said his drawing was inspired by his experiences with friends and roommates.

Early in his career, the artist tried sharing his art to new websites, where the community began to borrow, remix and reinvent the frog. As Pepe spread into darker parts of online spaces, Mr Furie tried to disavow his creation, even killing him off in a final panel.

Yet the frog persisted.

"It proves that creators cannot own symbols," explains Prof Bogad. "They can change and shift and be reworked."

For a long time, the popularity of Pepe meant that frogs became a symbol for conservative politics. But that changed on a day in October, when a viral moment between a protestor dressed in an inflatable frog costume and a federal agent in Portland spread rapidly online.

The moment occurred shortly after an order to send military personnel to the city, which was called "a warzone". Demonstrators began to assemble in large numbers on a single block, just outside of an immigration enforcement facility.

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

The individual, Seth Todd, responded with a joke, remarking he had tasted "spicier tamales". But the incident became a sensation.

The costume was somewhat typical for the city, famous for its unconventional spirit and activist demonstrations that embrace the absurd – public yoga, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and nude cycling groups. Its creed is "Embrace the Strange."

The frog became part of in subsequent court proceedings between the federal government and Portland, which claimed the deployment was unlawful.

Although the court ruled in October that the administration was within its rights to send personnel, a minority opinion disagreed, referencing in her ruling the protesters' "known tendency for using unusual attire while voicing opposition."

"Observers may be tempted the court's opinion, which accepts the description of Portland as a war zone, as merely absurd," the dissenting judge wrote. "But today's decision goes beyond absurdity."

The deployment was "permanently" blocked soon after, and troops withdrew from the city.

However, by that time, the amphibian costume had become a potent protest icon for progressive movements.

The inflatable suit appeared nationwide at No Kings protests recently. Frogs appeared – and unicorns and axolotls and dinosaurs – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They were in small towns and global metropolises like Tokyo and London.

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

Controlling the Optics

The link between both frogs together – lies in the interplay between the humorous, benign cartoon and serious intent. This is what "tactical frivolity."

This approach relies on what the professor terms a "disarming display" – usually humorous, it acts as a "disarming and charming" display that calls attention to your ideas without needing obviously explaining them. This is the unusual prop you wear, or the meme circulated.

Mr Bogad is both an expert on this topic and an experienced participant. He authored 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 express dissent a little bit and still have plausible deniability."

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

As activists take on the state, humorous attire {takes control of|seizes|influences