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This resistance won't be televised, though it may feature webbed feet and protruding eyes.

It also might feature the horn of a unicorn or a chicken's feathers.

Whilst protests opposing the leadership persist in US cities, participants are utilizing the energy of a community costume parade. They've provided dance instruction, given away snacks, and ridden unicycles, as officers look on.

Mixing levity and political action – a tactic experts term "tactical frivolity" – has historical precedent. But it has become a defining feature of American protest in this period, used by both left and right.

One particular emblem has risen to become particularly salient – the frog. It originated after recordings of a clash between a man in an inflatable frog and federal officers in Portland, Oregon, became an internet sensation. And it has since spread to protests nationwide.

"There is much going on with that little frog costume," states a professor, a professor at University of California, Davis and an academic who studies political performance.

The Path From a Cartoon Frog to the Streets of Portland

It is difficult to talk about demonstrations and amphibians without mentioning Pepe, an illustrated figure embraced by far-right groups throughout an election cycle.

When the character first took off online, it was used to express specific feelings. Afterwards, it was deployed to endorse a candidate, including a particular image endorsed by the candidate personally, portraying Pepe with a signature suit and hair.

Pepe was also depicted in certain internet forums in darker contexts, as a historical dictator. Online conservatives traded "rare Pepes" and established cryptocurrency in his name. Its famous line, "that feels good", was deployed a coded signal.

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

Its creator, artist Matt Furie, has stated about his disapproval for how the image has been used. Pepe was supposed to be simply a relaxed amphibian in his comic world.

This character first appeared in comic strips in the mid-2000s – apolitical and famous for a quirky behavior. In a documentary, which follows Mr Furie's efforts to take back of his work, he said his drawing was inspired by his time with friends and roommates.

When he began, the artist experimented with sharing his art to new websites, where the community began to copy, alter, and reinterpret his character. As Pepe spread into fringe areas of online spaces, Mr Furie tried to disavow his creation, even killing him off in a comic strip.

However, its legacy continued.

"This demonstrates the lack of control over icons," states Prof Bogad. "They can change and shift and be reworked."

For a long time, the popularity of this meme resulted in amphibian imagery were predominantly linked to conservative politics. But that changed in early October, when an incident between an activist wearing a blow-up amphibian suit and an immigration officer in Portland, Oregon spread rapidly online.

This incident followed a directive to deploy military personnel to the city, which was called "a warzone". Activists began to assemble in large numbers on a single block, near an ICE office.

Tensions were high and a officer used a chemical agent at the individual, aiming directly into the air intake fan of the puffy frog costume.

Seth Todd, Seth Todd, quipped, stating he had tasted "spicier tamales". But the incident went viral.

The costume fit right in for the city, renowned for its unconventional spirit and left-wing protests that delight in the ridiculous – outdoor exercise, retro fitness classes, and unique parades. Its creed is "Keep Portland Weird."

The frog became part of in a lawsuit between the federal government and Portland, which claimed the use of troops was unlawful.

While a judge decided that month that the president had the right to send personnel, a minority opinion disagreed, referencing in her ruling demonstrators' "well-known penchant for wearing chicken suits while voicing dissent."

"It is easy to see this decision, which adopts the description of Portland as a battlefield, as simply ridiculous," Judge Susan Graber wrote. "But today's decision has serious implications."

The action was halted by courts just a month later, and personnel are said to have left the city.

But by then, the frog had become a potent protest icon for the left.

This symbol was seen across the country at anti-authoritarian protests recently. There were frogs – along with other creatures – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They were in rural communities and big international cities like Tokyo and London.

This item was backordered on major websites, and saw its cost increase.

Controlling the Visual Story

The link between both frogs together – is the interplay between the humorous, benign cartoon and underlying political significance. Experts call this "tactical frivolity."

The tactic is based on what the professor terms a "disarming display" – often silly, it's a "disarming and charming" display that draws focus to a cause without needing explicitly stating them. It's the unusual prop you wear, or the symbol circulated.

Mr Bogad is an analyst on this topic and someone who uses these tactics. He authored a book on the subject, and led seminars around the world.

"You could go back to historical periods – under oppressive regimes, absurd humor is used to speak the truth a little bit and still have plausible deniability."

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

As protesters confront authority, humorous attire {takes control of|seizes|influences