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The resistance isn't broadcast, but it could have webbed feet and large eyes.

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

As demonstrations against the government continue in American cities, protesters have embraced the spirit of a community costume parade. They've offered salsa lessons, distributed treats, and performed on unicycles, as armed law enforcement observe.

Combining comedy and politics – a tactic experts term "tactical frivolity" – is not new. However, it has emerged as a hallmark of protests in the United States in the current era, embraced by various groups.

A specific icon has proven to be notably significant – the frog. It started when video footage of an encounter between an individual in an inflatable frog and federal officers in Portland, Oregon, spread online. From there, it proliferated to demonstrations nationwide.

"There is much at play with that small blow-up amphibian," states LM Bogad, who teaches at University of California, Davis and an academic who studies performance art.

The Path From Pepe to the Streets of Portland

It's challenging to discuss protests and frogs without talking about Pepe, a cartoon character co-opted by online communities during a previous presidential campaign.

As this image initially spread online, it was used to convey certain emotions. Afterwards, its use evolved to endorse a political figure, including one notable meme shared by the candidate personally, depicting Pepe with a signature suit and hair.

Pepe was also depicted in certain internet forums in darker contexts, as a historical dictator. Users traded "rare Pepes" and set up cryptocurrency in his name. His catchphrase, "that feels good", was deployed an inside joke.

Yet the character did not originate as a political symbol.

Its creator, artist Matt Furie, has expressed about his disapproval for how the image has been used. His creation was meant as simply an apolitical figure in his series.

The frog first appeared in a series of comics in the mid-2000s – non-political and best known for a quirky behavior. In 'Feels Good Man', which documents Mr Furie's efforts to wrest back control of his work, he stated his drawing was inspired by his experiences with companions.

Early in his career, Mr Furie tried sharing his art to the nascent social web, where other users began to copy, alter, and reinterpret the frog. As Pepe spread into fringe areas of online spaces, Mr Furie attempted to distance himself from the frog, including ending its life in a comic strip.

Yet the frog persisted.

"This demonstrates the lack of control over icons," states the professor. "Their meaning can evolve and be reclaimed."

Until recently, the notoriety of Pepe resulted in frogs were predominantly linked to the right. This shifted on a day in October, when an incident between a protestor wearing a blow-up amphibian suit and an immigration officer in Portland, Oregon captured global attention.

The moment followed a decision to deploy the National Guard to the city, which was described as "a warzone". Demonstrators began to congregate outside a facility, near an ICE office.

Tensions were high and an agent sprayed irritant at a protester, directing it into the opening of the inflatable suit.

The protester, the man in the costume, quipped, remarking he had tasted "something milder". But the incident went viral.

The frog suit was somewhat typical for Portland, known for its unconventional spirit and left-wing protests that embrace the unusual – public yoga, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and unique parades. The city's unofficial motto is "Embrace the Strange."

The costume was also referenced in a lawsuit between the federal government and Portland, which argued the deployment was unlawful.

While a judge decided that month that the administration had the right to send personnel, a dissenting judge wrote, mentioning demonstrators' "known tendency for using unusual attire when expressing opposition."

"Observers may be tempted this decision, which accepts the description of Portland as a war zone, as merely absurd," Judge Susan Graber wrote. "Yet the outcome goes beyond absurdity."

The order was stopped legally just a month later, and personnel withdrew from the area.

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

The inflatable suit was spotted in many cities at anti-authoritarian protests recently. Frogs appeared – and unicorns and axolotls and dinosaurs – in major US cities. They appeared in rural communities and global metropolises like Tokyo and London.

The frog costume was backordered on online retailers, and became more expensive.

Mastering the Narrative

What connects Pepe and the protest frog – is the dynamic between the humorous, benign cartoon and a deeper political meaning. This concept is "tactical frivolity."

The strategy relies on what Mr Bogad calls the "irresistible image" – usually humorous, it acts as a "disarming and charming" act that highlights a message without obviously explaining them. It's the silly outfit used, or the meme you share.

Mr Bogad is an analyst in the subject and an experienced participant. He authored a book called 'Tactical Performance', and taught workshops around the world.

"You could go back to the Middle Ages – under oppressive regimes, they use absurdity to speak the truth indirectly and still have a layer of protection."

The theory of such tactics is multi-faceted, he explains.

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