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This resistance isn't televised, yet it might possess webbed feet and protruding eyes.

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

Whilst protests opposing the leadership carry on in American cities, demonstrators are adopting the spirit of a neighborhood dress-up party. They have taught dance instruction, handed out snacks, and performed on unicycles, while armed law enforcement observe.

Blending comedy and politics – a strategy social scientists term "tactical frivolity" – is not new. But it has become a hallmark of protests in the United States in the current era, used by all sides of the political spectrum.

And one symbol has proven to be particularly salient – the frog. It started after recordings of an encounter between an individual in an inflatable frog and ICE agents in Portland, Oregon, spread online. And it has since spread to rallies throughout the United States.

"There is much happening with that little blow-up amphibian," notes a professor, a professor at University of California, Davis and an academic who studies creative activism.

From the Pepe Meme to Portland

It is difficult to examine protests and frogs without addressing Pepe, a cartoon character adopted by far-right groups throughout an election cycle.

Initially, when this image gained popularity online, people used it to convey certain emotions. Afterwards, it was utilized to express backing for a candidate, including one notable meme retweeted by the candidate himself, depicting Pepe with a signature suit and hair.

Pepe was also depicted in certain internet forums in offensive ways, as a hate group member. Online conservatives exchanged "rare Pepes" and set up digital currency using its likeness. Its famous line, "feels good, man", was deployed a coded signal.

However Pepe didn't start out as a political symbol.

The artist behind it, artist Matt Furie, has been vocal about his disapproval for its co-option. His creation was meant as simply an apolitical figure in his series.

The frog first appeared in an online comic in the mid-2000s – apolitical and notable for a particular bathroom habit. A film, which chronicles Mr Furie's efforts to reclaim ownership of his creation, he explained his drawing was inspired by his time with companions.

Early in his career, Mr Furie experimented with uploading his work to early internet platforms, where the community began to borrow, remix and reinvent the frog. As Pepe spread into fringe areas of online spaces, the creator attempted to distance himself from the frog, even killing him off in a comic strip.

Yet the frog persisted.

"It shows that we don't control imagery," states Prof Bogad. "They transform and be reworked."

Previously, the association of Pepe resulted in amphibian imagery were predominantly linked to the right. But that changed in early October, when a confrontation between an activist dressed in a blow-up amphibian suit and a federal agent in Portland went viral.

The moment came just days after a decision to deploy military personnel to the city, which was described as "a warzone". Demonstrators began to congregate at a specific location, near an ICE office.

Tensions were high and an immigration officer sprayed irritant at the individual, targeting the opening of the inflatable suit.

The individual, Seth Todd, responded with a joke, remarking it tasted like "spicier tamales". However, the video went viral.

Mr Todd's attire fit right in for Portland, known for its quirky culture and left-wing protests that delight in the unusual – outdoor exercise, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and unique parades. The city's unofficial motto is "Embrace the Strange."

The frog became part of in the ensuing legal battle between the administration and the city, which argued the use of troops overstepped authority.

While a judge decided in October that the president had the right to deploy troops, a minority opinion disagreed, mentioning the protesters' "known tendency for wearing chicken suits when expressing dissent."

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

The action was stopped legally just a month later, and personnel withdrew from the area.

However, by that time, the amphibian costume had become a significant protest icon for the left.

The costume was spotted in many cities at No Kings protests last autumn. Frogs appeared – along with other creatures – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They appeared in small towns and big international cities like Tokyo and London.

The frog costume was backordered on online retailers, and rose in price.

Mastering the Visual Story

What brings the two amphibian symbols – lies in the relationship between the humorous, benign cartoon and underlying political significance. Experts call this "tactical frivolity."

This approach is based on what the professor calls the "irresistible image" – usually humorous, it's a "appealing and non-threatening" act that highlights a cause without explicitly stating them. This is the goofy costume you wear, or the meme you share.

The professor is both an expert on this topic and a veteran practitioner. He authored a book called 'Tactical Performance', and taught workshops internationally.

"You could go back to historical periods – under oppressive regimes, absurd humor is used to speak the truth indirectly and still have a layer of protection."

The idea of this approach is three-fold, Mr Bogad explains.

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