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This resistance won't be televised, yet it might possess amphibious toes and protruding eyes.

Additionally, it could include the horn of a unicorn or the plumage of a chicken.

Whilst protests against the government continue in American cities, protesters are adopting the energy of a local block party. They've provided dance instruction, given away snacks, and performed on unicycles, as armed law enforcement look on.

Combining levity and politics – a strategy experts term "tactical frivolity" – isn't novel. But it has become a defining feature of American protest in recent years, embraced by both left and right.

A specific icon has proven to be notably significant – the frog. It started when recordings of a confrontation between a man in a frog suit and immigration enforcement agents in Portland, Oregon, became an internet sensation. From there, it proliferated to protests nationwide.

"A great deal happening with that small inflatable frog," states an expert, a professor at University of California, Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who focuses on creative activism.

From the Pepe Meme to the Streets of Portland

It's hard to discuss protests and frogs without addressing Pepe, an illustrated figure co-opted by online communities throughout an election cycle.

Initially, when the meme gained popularity on the internet, it was used to convey certain emotions. Later, it was utilized to express backing for a political figure, even a particular image endorsed by the candidate personally, depicting Pepe with recognizable attire and hairstyle.

Pepe was also depicted in right-wing online communities in more extreme scenarios, portrayed as a hate group member. Users traded "rare Pepes" and established cryptocurrency in his name. His catchphrase, "that feels good", was used a shared phrase.

Yet its beginnings were not as a political symbol.

The artist behind it, the illustrator, has been vocal about his distaste for its appropriation. His creation was meant as simply an apolitical figure in his series.

The frog debuted in an online comic in the mid-2000s – apolitical and notable for a particular bathroom habit. A film, which follows the creator's attempt to wrest back control of his work, he explained the character came from his experiences with friends and roommates.

Early in his career, the artist experimented with uploading his work to early internet platforms, where other users began to copy, alter, and reinterpret the frog. As Pepe spread into the more extreme corners of online spaces, the creator tried to disavow the frog, even killing him off in a comic strip.

But Pepe lived on.

"It shows that we don't control icons," states Prof Bogad. "They can change and shift and be reclaimed."

Previously, the association of Pepe meant that amphibian imagery were predominantly linked to the right. A transformation occurred on a day in October, when an incident between a protestor wearing a blow-up amphibian suit and an immigration officer in Portland went viral.

The moment occurred shortly after a directive to deploy the National Guard to the city, which was described as "a warzone". Activists began to congregate at a specific location, just outside of an ICE office.

Emotions ran high and a officer used a chemical agent at a protester, aiming directly into the ventilation of the costume.

The individual, the man in the costume, reacted humorously, saying it tasted like "spicier tamales". However, the video went viral.

The costume was somewhat typical for Portland, known for its eccentric vibe and left-wing protests that delight in the absurd – outdoor exercise, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and unique parades. The city's unofficial motto is "Embrace the Strange."

This symbol became part of in a lawsuit between the administration and Portland, which contended the deployment overstepped authority.

Although a ruling was issued in October that the administration had the right to send personnel, a minority opinion disagreed, noting in her opinion the protesters' "well-known penchant for donning inflatable costumes when expressing their disagreement."

"Some might view the majority's ruling, which adopts the description of Portland as a battlefield, as simply ridiculous," Judge Susan Graber stated. "Yet the outcome goes beyond absurdity."

The order was halted by courts subsequently, and troops have reportedly departed the city.

Yet already, the frog had become a powerful anti-administration symbol for progressive movements.

The inflatable suit was spotted nationwide at anti-authoritarian protests last autumn. Amphibian costumes were present – along with other creatures – in major US cities. They appeared in small towns and global metropolises abroad.

The inflatable suit was sold out on major websites, and became more expensive.

Shaping the Visual Story

The link between the two amphibian symbols – lies in the dynamic between the humorous, benign cartoon and underlying political significance. This is what "tactical frivolity."

The strategy relies on what the professor terms a "disarming display" – often silly, it's a "disarming and charming" display that draws focus to your ideas without obviously explaining them. It's the unusual prop you wear, or the meme you share.

The professor is an analyst in the subject and a veteran practitioner. He authored a book called 'Tactical Performance', and led seminars internationally.

"One can look back to the Middle Ages – when people are dominated, absurd humor is used to express dissent indirectly and still have a layer of protection."

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

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