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The resistance won't be televised, yet it might possess webbed feet and bulging eyes.

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

Whilst demonstrations against the government carry on in US cities, protesters have embraced the energy of a local block party. They've offered dance instruction, handed out snacks, and ridden unicycles, while officers observe.

Combining levity and politics – an approach researchers term "tactical frivolity" – is not new. But it has become a defining feature of protests in the United States in this period, adopted by both left and right.

One particular emblem has risen to become especially powerful – the frog. It originated after recordings of a confrontation between an individual in an inflatable frog and federal officers in Portland, Oregon, became an internet sensation. It subsequently appeared to rallies across the country.

"A great deal happening with that humble inflatable frog," notes an expert, who teaches at University of California, Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who focuses on political performance.

From the Pepe Meme to Portland

It's challenging to talk about demonstrations and amphibians without talking about Pepe, a web comic frog co-opted by online communities during an election cycle.

As the meme initially spread on the internet, its purpose was to convey certain emotions. Later, it was deployed to show support for a candidate, even one notable meme retweeted by the candidate himself, showing Pepe with a signature suit and hair.

The frog was also portrayed in right-wing online communities in offensive ways, as a hate group member. Users traded "rare Pepes" and set up digital currency in his name. Its famous line, "that feels good", was used a shared phrase.

Yet the character did not originate so controversial.

Its creator, artist Matt Furie, has stated about his unhappiness for its co-option. The character was intended as simply an apolitical figure in his series.

Pepe first appeared in comic strips in the mid-2000s – apolitical and famous for a quirky behavior. A film, which documents Mr Furie's efforts to wrest back control of his creation, he stated the character came from his life 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 its popularity grew into fringe areas of the internet, the creator attempted to distance himself from his creation, including ending its life in a comic strip.

However, its legacy continued.

"It proves the lack of control over imagery," explains the professor. "They transform and be reworked."

Until recently, the notoriety of this meme resulted in frogs became a symbol for conservative politics. But that changed in early October, when a viral moment between an activist wearing an inflatable frog costume and a federal agent in Portland, Oregon captured global attention.

The event came just days after a decision to deploy the National Guard to the city, which was described as "war-ravaged". Demonstrators began to assemble in large numbers at a specific location, just outside of a federal building.

The situation was tense and an agent deployed irritant at a protester, directing it into the ventilation of the puffy frog costume.

Seth Todd, Seth Todd, quipped, saying it tasted like "spicier tamales". But the incident became a sensation.

The frog suit was somewhat typical for the city, known for its quirky culture and left-wing protests that delight in the ridiculous – outdoor exercise, retro fitness classes, and unique parades. Its creed is "Embrace the Strange."

The frog even played a role in a lawsuit between the administration and the city, which claimed the deployment overstepped authority.

Although the court ruled in October that the administration had the right to deploy troops, a dissenting judge wrote, referencing in her ruling the protesters' "propensity for donning inflatable costumes when expressing their disagreement."

"Some might view this decision, which adopts the government's characterization as a battlefield, as merely absurd," she stated. "However, this ruling is not merely absurd."

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

Yet already, the amphibian costume had become a significant protest icon for the left.

The costume was spotted across the country at anti-authoritarian protests recently. There were frogs – and unicorns and axolotls and dinosaurs – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They were in small towns and big international cities like Tokyo and London.

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

Shaping the Narrative

The link between the two amphibian symbols – lies in the dynamic between the silly, innocent image and underlying political significance. This concept is "tactical frivolity."

The tactic rests on what Mr Bogad calls a "disarming display" – often silly, it's a "appealing and non-threatening" display that calls attention to a message without obviously explaining them. This is the silly outfit used, or the meme circulated.

The professor is both an expert in the subject and someone who uses these tactics. He authored a book on the subject, and led seminars internationally.

"You could go back to the Middle Ages – when people are dominated, they use absurdity to speak the truth a little bit and while maintaining a layer of protection."

The idea of this approach is multi-faceted, Mr Bogad explains.

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