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This resistance isn't broadcast, yet it might possess amphibious toes and protruding eyes.

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

Whilst protests against the government continue in American cities, participants are adopting the spirit of a local block party. They've provided dance instruction, handed out snacks, and performed on unicycles, while armed law enforcement observe.

Blending levity and political action – a tactic experts call "tactical frivolity" – isn't novel. Yet it has transformed into a signature characteristic of protests in the United States in recent years, used by both left and right.

And one symbol has proven to be particularly salient – the frog. It originated after a video of a confrontation between an individual in an inflatable frog and ICE agents in Portland, Oregon, went viral. And it has since spread to demonstrations across the country.

"There's a lot at play with that small frog costume," states an expert, who teaches at University of California, Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who specialises in performance art.

The Path From Pepe to the Streets of Portland

It's hard to discuss demonstrations and amphibians without talking about Pepe, a cartoon character embraced by far-right groups during a previous presidential campaign.

When the meme gained popularity online, it was used to express certain emotions. Subsequently, it was deployed to express backing for a candidate, including one notable meme endorsed by that figure personally, depicting the frog with recognizable attire and hairstyle.

Pepe was also depicted in right-wing online communities in darker contexts, portrayed as a hate group member. Participants exchanged "rare Pepes" and established cryptocurrency in his name. His catchphrase, "feels good, man", was deployed a coded signal.

However Pepe didn't start out this divisive.

Matt Furie, the illustrator, has been vocal about his distaste for its co-option. His creation was meant as simply an apolitical figure in his series.

This character first appeared in an online comic in 2005 – apolitical and famous for a particular bathroom habit. In 'Feels Good Man', which follows Mr Furie's efforts to wrest back control of his creation, he explained the character was inspired by his life with friends and roommates.

Early in his career, Mr Furie experimented with uploading his work to new websites, where people online began to copy, alter, and reinterpret his character. As Pepe spread into darker parts of the internet, the creator attempted to distance himself from the frog, including ending its life in a final panel.

But Pepe lived on.

"It proves that we don't control symbols," says Prof Bogad. "Their meaning can evolve and be repurposed."

Until recently, the popularity of this meme meant that frogs were predominantly linked to conservative politics. A transformation occurred on a day in October, when a confrontation between a protestor wearing a blow-up amphibian suit and an immigration officer in Portland went viral.

The event came just days after a decision to send military personnel to the city, which was called "a warzone". Demonstrators began to assemble in large numbers at a specific location, near a federal building.

Tensions were high and a officer sprayed irritant at a protester, targeting the air intake fan of the inflatable suit.

Seth Todd, the man in the costume, reacted humorously, stating it tasted like "something milder". However, the video spread everywhere.

The costume was not too unusual for the city, renowned for its eccentric vibe and activist demonstrations that delight in the unusual – public yoga, retro fitness classes, and nude cycling groups. The city's unofficial motto is "Embrace the Strange."

The frog became part of in subsequent court proceedings between the federal government and Portland, which argued the use of troops was illegal.

While the court ruled in October that the administration had the right to send personnel, a minority opinion disagreed, referencing in her ruling the protesters' "propensity for wearing chicken suits while voicing dissent."

"Some might view the court's opinion, which adopts the description of Portland as a battlefield, as simply ridiculous," the dissenting judge stated. "But today's decision is not merely absurd."

The deployment was stopped legally subsequently, and troops withdrew from the area.

However, by that time, the frog was now a significant anti-administration symbol for progressive movements.

This symbol was seen nationwide at No Kings protests that fall. Amphibian costumes were present – along with other creatures – in major US cities. They appeared in rural communities and big international cities like Tokyo and London.

The frog costume was backordered on major websites, and rose in price.

Controlling the Visual Story

What brings both frogs together – lies in the interplay between the humorous, benign cartoon and serious intent. This concept is "tactical frivolity."

The tactic rests on what the professor calls the "irresistible image" – often silly, it acts as a "disarming and charming" performance that calls attention to a cause without needing directly articulating them. It's the unusual prop you wear, or the symbol you share.

The professor is an analyst on this topic and an experienced participant. He's written a book called 'Tactical Performance', and led seminars around the world.

"One can look back to historical periods – when people are dominated, absurd humor is used to speak the truth a little bit and while maintaining plausible deniability."

The theory of such tactics is three-fold, Mr Bogad says.

As protesters take on authority, a silly costume {takes control of|seizes|influences