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This resistance may not be broadcast, but it could have webbed feet and bulging eyes.

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

Whilst protests against the government persist in US cities, protesters are adopting the spirit of a local block party. They have taught salsa lessons, given away treats, and performed on unicycles, as police observe.

Combining humour and politics – an approach social scientists refer to as "tactical frivolity" – has historical precedent. However, it has emerged as 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 especially powerful – the frog. It originated when recordings of an encounter between a man in an amphibian costume and ICE agents in Portland, Oregon, spread online. It subsequently appeared to protests throughout the United States.

"There's a lot at play with that humble inflatable frog," says an expert, who teaches at UC Davis and an academic who studies performance art.

The Path From Pepe to the Streets of Portland

It's challenging to examine demonstrations and amphibians without addressing Pepe, a web comic frog adopted by extremist movements throughout an election cycle.

As this image initially spread on the internet, it was used to express specific feelings. Subsequently, its use evolved to endorse a candidate, even one notable meme endorsed by the candidate himself, showing Pepe with a signature suit and hair.

Pepe was also depicted in right-wing online communities in more extreme scenarios, portrayed as a historical dictator. Participants traded "unique frog images" and established digital currency using its likeness. His catchphrase, "feels good, man", was used a shared phrase.

Yet its beginnings were not this divisive.

Its creator, artist Matt Furie, has expressed about his unhappiness for how the image has been used. Pepe was supposed to be simply an apolitical figure in this artist's universe.

This character debuted in a series of comics in 2005 – apolitical and famous for a particular bathroom habit. A film, which documents the creator's attempt to reclaim ownership of his work, he explained his drawing came from his experiences with companions.

Early in his career, the artist tried sharing his art to new websites, where the community began to borrow, remix and reinvent the frog. As its popularity grew into the more extreme corners of online spaces, the creator tried to disavow his creation, even killing him off in a final panel.

Yet the frog persisted.

"It shows the lack of control over symbols," explains the professor. "They transform and be reclaimed."

Previously, the notoriety of this meme resulted in amphibian imagery were predominantly linked to conservative politics. This shifted in early October, when a viral moment between a protestor wearing a blow-up amphibian suit and an immigration officer in Portland captured global attention.

The moment occurred shortly after a directive to send military personnel to Portland, which was described as "a warzone". Demonstrators began to gather in droves outside a facility, just outside of an immigration enforcement facility.

Tensions were high and an immigration officer used a chemical agent at the individual, targeting the ventilation of the inflatable suit.

The protester, Seth Todd, reacted humorously, remarking it tasted like "spicier tamales". Yet the footage spread everywhere.

Mr Todd's attire fit right in for the city, renowned for its unconventional spirit and left-wing protests that embrace the unusual – public yoga, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and unique parades. A local saying is "Embrace the Strange."

The costume even played a role in a lawsuit between the administration and Portland, which argued the use of troops was illegal.

While a judge decided in October that the president was within its rights to deploy troops, one judge dissented, referencing in her ruling demonstrators' "well-known penchant for donning inflatable costumes while voicing opposition."

"It is easy to see this decision, which adopts the description of Portland as a battlefield, as simply ridiculous," the dissenting judge opined. "Yet the outcome is not merely absurd."

The action was halted by courts subsequently, and personnel have reportedly departed the area.

However, by that time, the frog was now a significant anti-administration symbol for progressive movements.

This symbol was spotted across the country at anti-authoritarian protests that fall. 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 backordered on online retailers, and rose in price.

Controlling the Optics

The link between Pepe and the protest frog – lies in the interplay between the silly, innocent image and a deeper political meaning. Experts call this "tactical frivolity."

This approach rests on what Mr Bogad calls the "irresistible image" – usually humorous, it's a "appealing and non-threatening" act that draws focus to a message without needing explicitly stating them. This is the unusual prop used, or the meme you share.

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

"You could go back to the Middle Ages – when people are dominated, absurd humor is used to express dissent indirectly and while maintaining a layer of protection."

The idea of this approach is three-fold, Mr Bogad explains.

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