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

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

As protests against the government persist in American cities, demonstrators are utilizing the spirit of a community costume parade. They've offered dance instruction, distributed snacks, and performed on unicycles, as police look on.

Mixing humour and political action – an approach social scientists call "tactical frivolity" – is not new. But it has become a defining feature of protests in the United States in this period, embraced by all sides of the political spectrum.

One particular emblem has proven to be particularly salient – the frog. It began after recordings of a clash between an individual in an inflatable frog and immigration enforcement agents in Portland, Oregon, became an internet sensation. And it has since spread to rallies throughout the United States.

"A great deal happening with that humble frog costume," states a professor, who teaches at UC Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who studies political performance.

From a Cartoon Frog to Portland

It's hard to examine protests and frogs without talking about Pepe, a web comic frog co-opted by online communities during an election cycle.

When this image initially spread on the internet, its purpose was to convey certain emotions. Afterwards, it was utilized to endorse a candidate, including one notable meme endorsed by the candidate himself, depicting the frog with recognizable attire and hairstyle.

Images also circulated in right-wing online communities in offensive ways, portrayed as a historical dictator. Participants exchanged "unique frog images" and established digital currency using its likeness. Its famous line, "that feels good", was deployed an inside joke.

But its beginnings were not so controversial.

The artist behind it, the illustrator, has been vocal about his disapproval for its co-option. The character was intended as simply a "chill frog-dude" in this artist's universe.

This character first appeared in an online comic in 2005 – apolitical and notable for a particular bathroom habit. In a documentary, which chronicles Mr Furie's efforts to wrest back control of his work, he said the character was inspired by his time with companions.

When he began, Mr Furie tried sharing his art to early internet platforms, where other users began to borrow, remix and reinvent his character. As Pepe spread into the more extreme corners of online spaces, the creator sought to reject the frog, even killing him off in a comic strip.

Yet the frog persisted.

"This demonstrates that we don't control symbols," explains Prof Bogad. "Their meaning can evolve and be repurposed."

Until recently, the popularity of this meme meant that amphibian imagery were largely associated with the right. This shifted on a day in October, when an incident between a protestor dressed in a blow-up amphibian suit and an immigration officer in Portland went viral.

The moment followed a directive to send the National Guard to the city, which was described as "war-ravaged". Protesters began to congregate outside a facility, near a federal building.

Tensions were high and an agent sprayed irritant at the individual, targeting the opening of the puffy frog costume.

Seth Todd, Seth Todd, responded with a joke, stating he had tasted "something milder". Yet the footage spread everywhere.

The costume was not too unusual for the city, famous for its unconventional spirit and left-wing protests that delight in the unusual – outdoor exercise, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and nude cycling groups. Its creed is "Keep Portland Weird."

This symbol became part of in subsequent court proceedings between the federal government and the city, which argued the use of troops was illegal.

Although a ruling was issued that month that the president had the right to send personnel, one judge dissented, referencing in her ruling demonstrators' "known tendency for using unusual attire while voicing opposition."

"It is easy to see the majority's ruling, which adopts the description of Portland as a battlefield, as simply ridiculous," Judge Susan Graber wrote. "Yet the outcome goes beyond absurdity."

The deployment was halted by courts just a month later, and personnel have reportedly departed the area.

Yet already, the amphibian costume was now a powerful protest icon for progressive movements.

This symbol was spotted across the country at anti-authoritarian protests recently. Amphibian costumes were present – along with other creatures – in major US cities. They appeared in rural communities and global metropolises like Tokyo and London.

The frog costume was sold out on online retailers, and became more expensive.

Shaping the Narrative

What brings both frogs together – lies in the dynamic between the silly, innocent image and underlying political significance. Experts call this "tactical frivolity."

The strategy rests on what the professor terms the "irresistible image" – often silly, it's a "appealing and non-threatening" display that calls attention to a cause without explicitly stating them. This is the goofy costume you wear, or the symbol you share.

The professor is both an expert on this topic and someone who uses these tactics. He authored a book on the subject, and taught workshops around the world.

"You could go back to the Middle Ages – when people are dominated, they use absurdity to speak the truth indirectly and still have a layer of protection."

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

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