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This resistance may not be televised, yet it might possess webbed feet and bulging eyes.

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

As protests opposing the government continue in US cities, demonstrators are adopting the vibe of a neighborhood dress-up party. They've provided dance instruction, given away snacks, and performed on unicycles, while officers watch.

Combining comedy and political action – an approach social scientists call "tactical frivolity" – has historical precedent. But it has become a signature characteristic of US demonstrations in the current era, adopted by all sides of the political spectrum.

And one symbol has proven to be notably significant – the frog. It originated when a video of a confrontation between a protester in a frog suit and ICE agents in Portland, Oregon, became an internet sensation. And it has since spread to protests nationwide.

"There is much at play with that humble inflatable frog," says a professor, a professor at University of California, Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who focuses on creative activism.

From Pepe to the Streets of Portland

It is difficult to discuss protests and frogs without addressing Pepe, a cartoon character co-opted by far-right groups during an election cycle.

Initially, when the character gained popularity online, people used it to express specific feelings. Afterwards, it was utilized to express backing for a political figure, including a particular image shared by that figure himself, showing Pepe with a signature suit and hair.

Images also circulated in digital spaces in darker contexts, portrayed as a hate group member. Users exchanged "unique frog images" and established digital currency in his name. His catchphrase, "feels good, man", became a coded signal.

But Pepe didn't start out this divisive.

The artist behind it, the illustrator, has stated about his unhappiness for its appropriation. Pepe was supposed to be simply an apolitical figure in his comic world.

This character debuted in an online comic in the mid-2000s – non-political and famous for a quirky behavior. A film, which follows the creator's attempt to take back of his creation, he explained the character was inspired by his experiences with friends and roommates.

As he started out, the artist tried sharing his art to early internet platforms, where other users began to copy, alter, and reinterpret the frog. When the meme proliferated into the more extreme corners of the internet, Mr Furie attempted to distance himself from his creation, even killing him off in a comic strip.

However, its legacy continued.

"It shows that creators cannot own symbols," explains Prof Bogad. "Their meaning can evolve and be reclaimed."

For a long time, the notoriety of this meme meant that frogs were predominantly linked to the right. This shifted in early October, when a confrontation between an activist wearing a blow-up amphibian suit and a federal agent in Portland captured global attention.

The event occurred shortly after a directive to deploy the National Guard to Portland, which was described as "a warzone". Demonstrators began to congregate at a specific location, near an ICE office.

Emotions ran high and an agent used a chemical agent at the individual, directing it into the opening of the costume.

The individual, Seth Todd, responded with a joke, saying it tasted like "something milder". However, the video became a sensation.

Mr Todd's attire was somewhat typical for Portland, famous for its quirky culture and activist demonstrations that delight in the ridiculous – public yoga, retro fitness classes, and unique parades. Its creed is "Embrace the Strange."

The costume became part of in the ensuing legal battle between the federal government and Portland, which contended the use of troops was unlawful.

While a ruling was issued in October that the administration had the right to send personnel, one judge dissented, noting in her opinion demonstrators' "known tendency for wearing chicken suits while voicing dissent."

"Some might view this decision, which adopts the description of Portland as a war zone, as simply ridiculous," Judge Susan Graber wrote. "But today's decision has serious implications."

The deployment was halted by courts just a month later, and troops are said to have left the area.

But by then, the amphibian costume had transformed into a potent protest icon for the left.

This symbol was seen in many cities at anti-authoritarian protests that fall. Amphibian costumes were present – and unicorns and axolotls and dinosaurs – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They were in small towns and global metropolises abroad.

The frog costume was backordered on major websites, and saw its cost increase.

Mastering the Optics

What connects the two amphibian symbols – is the relationship between the humorous, benign cartoon and serious intent. This concept is "tactical frivolity."

This approach rests on what the professor calls a "disarming display" – usually humorous, it's a "appealing and non-threatening" performance that highlights your ideas without explicitly stating them. This is the unusual prop used, or the symbol circulated.

The professor is an analyst on this topic and someone who uses these tactics. He's written a book called 'Tactical Performance', and taught workshops internationally.

"One can look back to the Middle Ages – under oppressive regimes, absurd humor is used to express dissent a little bit and still have a layer of protection."

The purpose of such tactics is multi-faceted, Mr Bogad says.

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