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This protest movement may not be televised, but it could have webbed feet and protruding eyes.

Furthermore, it may involve a unicorn's horn or a chicken's feathers.

Whilst protests against the leadership continue in US cities, protesters are adopting the spirit of a local block party. They have taught salsa lessons, handed out treats, and performed on unicycles, while officers watch.

Combining levity and political action – a strategy experts refer to as "tactical frivolity" – isn't novel. Yet it has transformed into a defining feature of American protest in this period, adopted by all sides of the political spectrum.

One particular emblem has emerged as particularly salient – the frog. It began when a video of a confrontation between a protester in an amphibian costume and federal officers in the city of Portland, became an internet sensation. It subsequently appeared to demonstrations across the country.

"There is much going on with that little inflatable frog," says LM Bogad, who teaches at University of California, Davis and an academic who focuses on performance art.

From a Cartoon Frog to the Streets of Portland

It's hard to examine demonstrations and amphibians without mentioning Pepe, a web comic frog co-opted by extremist movements during a previous presidential campaign.

When this image initially spread on the internet, people used it to convey certain emotions. Subsequently, it was deployed to show support for a candidate, even one notable meme shared by that figure himself, showing the frog with a signature suit and hair.

Images also circulated in certain internet forums in more extreme scenarios, portrayed as a historical dictator. Participants traded "unique frog images" and established digital currency using its likeness. Its famous line, "feels good, man", became a coded signal.

Yet the character did not originate as a political symbol.

The artist behind it, the illustrator, has expressed about his unhappiness for its co-option. Pepe was supposed to be simply an apolitical figure in his series.

This character first appeared in comic strips in 2005 – apolitical and notable for a quirky behavior. A film, which chronicles Mr Furie's efforts to reclaim ownership of his work, he said his drawing was inspired by his time with friends and roommates.

Early in his career, Mr Furie tried sharing his art to new websites, where the community began to borrow, remix and reinvent the frog. When the meme proliferated into the more extreme corners of online spaces, Mr Furie sought to reject his creation, including ending its life in a comic strip.

However, its legacy continued.

"It shows that we don't control icons," states Prof Bogad. "Their meaning can evolve and be reclaimed."

Previously, the association of this meme meant that frogs were predominantly linked to the right. A transformation occurred on a day in October, when a confrontation between an activist dressed in an inflatable frog costume and a federal agent in Portland, Oregon spread rapidly online.

This incident occurred shortly after an order to send military personnel to Portland, which was described as "war-ravaged". Activists began to gather in droves outside a facility, just outside of a federal building.

Emotions ran high and an agent used pepper spray at the individual, directing it into the ventilation of the costume.

The protester, Seth Todd, reacted humorously, stating it tasted like "spicier tamales". But the incident became a sensation.

The costume was not too unusual for Portland, renowned for its eccentric vibe and left-wing protests that revel in the absurd – outdoor exercise, retro fitness classes, and unique parades. The city's unofficial motto is "Keep Portland Weird."

The frog even played a role in the ensuing legal battle between the administration and Portland, which claimed the deployment overstepped authority.

While a judge decided that month that the administration had the right to deploy troops, one judge dissented, noting in her opinion demonstrators' "known tendency for donning inflatable costumes while voicing their disagreement."

"It is easy to see the court's opinion, which accepts the government's characterization as a battlefield, as simply ridiculous," the dissenting judge stated. "Yet the outcome has serious implications."

The deployment was stopped legally just a month later, and troops withdrew from the area.

But by then, the amphibian costume had become a significant protest icon for the left.

This symbol appeared across the country at anti-authoritarian protests last autumn. Frogs appeared – and unicorns and axolotls and dinosaurs – in major US cities. They were in rural communities and big international cities abroad.

This item was backordered on online retailers, and saw its cost increase.

Controlling the Narrative

The link between Pepe and the protest frog – is the dynamic between the silly, innocent image and underlying political significance. Experts call this "tactical frivolity."

The tactic is based on what Mr Bogad terms a "disarming display" – frequently absurd, it's a "disarming and charming" performance that draws focus to a message without directly articulating them. It's the silly outfit you wear, or the symbol you share.

Mr Bogad is an analyst in the subject and a veteran practitioner. He authored a text on the subject, and taught workshops around the world.

"One can look back to the Middle Ages – under oppressive regimes, they use absurdity to speak the truth indirectly and still have plausible deniability."

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

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