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This resistance isn't televised, yet it might possess amphibious toes and large eyes.

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

Whilst protests against the government continue in American cities, participants have embraced the energy of a neighborhood dress-up party. They've provided dance instruction, handed out treats, and ridden unicycles, while police observe.

Combining levity and politics – a tactic experts call "tactical frivolity" – has historical precedent. Yet it has transformed into a hallmark of protests in the United States in this period, embraced by all sides of the political spectrum.

A specific icon has proven to be particularly salient – the frog. It started after video footage of an encounter between an individual in an amphibian costume and ICE agents in the city of Portland, became an internet sensation. From there, it proliferated to demonstrations across the country.

"There's a lot going on with that humble frog costume," says a professor, a professor at University of California, Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who focuses on performance art.

The Path From Pepe to the Streets of Portland

It's hard to examine demonstrations and amphibians without talking about Pepe, a cartoon character embraced by online communities during a political race.

Initially, when this image first took off online, it was used to convey specific feelings. Afterwards, it was deployed to endorse a candidate, even one notable meme retweeted by that figure personally, depicting Pepe with recognizable attire and hairstyle.

Images also circulated in digital spaces in darker contexts, portrayed as a historical dictator. Online conservatives traded "unique frog images" and set up digital currency in his name. Its famous line, "that feels good", became a shared phrase.

However its beginnings were not as a political symbol.

The artist behind it, the illustrator, has expressed about his unhappiness for its appropriation. His creation was meant as simply a "chill frog-dude" in his series.

The frog debuted in comic strips in the mid-2000s – apolitical and famous for a particular bathroom habit. A film, which follows Mr Furie's efforts to reclaim ownership of his work, he explained his drawing was inspired by his experiences with companions.

Early in his career, Mr Furie tried uploading his work to new websites, where other users began to borrow, remix and reinvent his character. As Pepe spread into darker parts of online spaces, Mr Furie sought to reject his creation, even killing him off in a final panel.

Yet the frog persisted.

"It shows that we don't control imagery," explains the professor. "They transform and be reworked."

For a long time, the popularity of this meme meant that frogs were largely associated with the right. This shifted on a day in October, when a viral moment between a protestor wearing a blow-up amphibian suit and a federal agent in Portland went viral.

The moment occurred shortly after a directive to send the National Guard to the city, which was described as "war-ravaged". Activists began to gather in droves at a specific location, just outside of a federal building.

Emotions ran high and an immigration officer used pepper spray at a protester, directing it into the air intake fan of the puffy frog costume.

The protester, the man in the costume, reacted humorously, saying he had tasted "something milder". But the incident went viral.

Mr Todd's attire fit right in for the city, known for its unconventional spirit and left-wing protests that embrace the unusual – outdoor exercise, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and nude cycling groups. A local saying is "Embrace the Strange."

The frog even played a role in subsequent court proceedings between the administration and the city, which claimed the use of troops was unlawful.

While a ruling was issued in October that the administration had the right to send personnel, a dissenting judge wrote, mentioning the protesters' "well-known penchant for using unusual attire when expressing opposition."

"It is easy to see this decision, which adopts the description of Portland as a battlefield, as merely absurd," the dissenting judge wrote. "But today's decision has serious implications."

The action was halted by courts soon after, and troops have reportedly departed the city.

But by then, the frog had transformed into a significant anti-administration symbol for progressive movements.

This symbol was spotted nationwide at anti-authoritarian protests recently. 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 inflatable suit was backordered on online retailers, and rose in price.

Mastering the Narrative

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

The tactic relies on what the professor terms the "irresistible image" – usually humorous, it's a "appealing and non-threatening" act that calls attention to a cause without needing obviously explaining them. It's the silly outfit you wear, or the symbol you share.

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

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

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

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