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This resistance isn't televised, but it could have webbed feet and bulging eyes.

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

Whilst protests against the government continue in American cities, demonstrators are utilizing the vibe of a neighborhood dress-up party. They have taught dance instruction, given away treats, and ridden unicycles, while armed law enforcement look on.

Blending comedy and politics – an approach researchers term "tactical frivolity" – is not new. Yet it has transformed into a defining feature of US demonstrations in this period, embraced by various groups.

A specific icon has emerged as particularly salient – the frog. It began when recordings of a confrontation between a man in an amphibian costume and federal officers in Portland, Oregon, went viral. From there, it proliferated to protests nationwide.

"There's a lot going on with that humble blow-up amphibian," states LM Bogad, a professor at UC Davis and an academic who focuses on performance art.

From the Pepe Meme to Portland

It is difficult to discuss protests and frogs without addressing Pepe, an illustrated figure co-opted by extremist movements during an election cycle.

As the meme first took off on the internet, it was used to express specific feelings. Afterwards, its use evolved to endorse a candidate, even a particular image retweeted by the candidate himself, showing Pepe with a signature suit and hair.

Pepe was also depicted in digital spaces in offensive ways, portrayed as a historical dictator. Online conservatives traded "rare Pepes" and established digital currency using its likeness. Its famous line, "feels good, man", was used an inside joke.

Yet the character did not originate so controversial.

Its creator, artist Matt Furie, has been vocal about his disapproval for its co-option. The character was intended as simply a relaxed amphibian in his series.

The frog first appeared in an online comic in 2005 – non-political and notable for a particular bathroom habit. In 'Feels Good Man', which follows Mr Furie's efforts to wrest back control of his creation, he said his drawing was inspired by his life with friends and roommates.

Early in his career, Mr Furie tried sharing his art to new websites, where the community began to copy, alter, and reinterpret his character. As Pepe spread into the more extreme corners of online spaces, Mr Furie attempted to distance himself from the frog, even killing him off in a final panel.

However, its legacy continued.

"It shows the lack of control over icons," says Prof Bogad. "Their meaning can evolve and be reworked."

Until recently, the popularity of Pepe resulted in amphibian imagery became a symbol for the right. But that changed recently, when a confrontation between a protestor wearing a blow-up amphibian suit and a federal agent in Portland went viral.

The event followed a decision to deploy the National Guard to the city, which was described as "war-ravaged". Demonstrators began to gather in droves at a specific location, just outside of an ICE office.

Emotions ran high and a officer used pepper spray at a protester, directing it into the air intake fan of the inflatable suit.

Seth Todd, the man in the costume, quipped, saying it tasted like "something milder". However, the video spread everywhere.

The costume fit right in for Portland, renowned for its unconventional spirit and activist demonstrations that delight in the ridiculous – public yoga, retro fitness classes, and nude cycling groups. A local saying is "Keep Portland Weird."

This symbol was also referenced in a lawsuit between the administration and the city, which argued the use of troops overstepped authority.

While the court ruled in October that the president had the right to deploy troops, one judge dissented, mentioning demonstrators' "well-known penchant for wearing chicken suits while voicing their disagreement."

"Observers may be tempted the court's opinion, which adopts the government's characterization as a battlefield, as merely absurd," Judge Susan Graber wrote. "However, this ruling has serious implications."

The action was "permanently" blocked just a month later, and personnel have reportedly departed the area.

However, by that time, the amphibian costume was now a powerful anti-administration symbol for progressive movements.

This symbol was seen across the country at No Kings protests recently. Frogs appeared – and unicorns and axolotls and dinosaurs – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They were in rural communities and global metropolises abroad.

This item was sold out on major websites, and became more expensive.

Shaping the Visual Story

What connects the two amphibian symbols – is the dynamic between the humorous, benign cartoon and underlying political significance. Experts call this "tactical frivolity."

This approach rests on what the professor calls a "disarming display" – frequently absurd, it's a "disarming and charming" display that highlights your ideas without needing explicitly stating them. It's the goofy costume you wear, or the symbol circulated.

The professor is both an expert in the subject and an experienced participant. He authored a text on the subject, and taught workshops around the world.

"You could go back to the Middle Ages – when people are dominated, absurd humor is used to speak the truth indirectly and still have plausible deniability."

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

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