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The resistance won't be broadcast, yet it might possess amphibious toes and large eyes.

It also might feature a unicorn's horn or a chicken's feathers.

Whilst demonstrations against the leadership persist in American cities, participants have embraced the vibe of a local block party. They've provided salsa lessons, given away treats, and ridden unicycles, as officers observe.

Combining levity and political action – a strategy social scientists term "tactical frivolity" – is not new. However, it has emerged as a signature characteristic of American protest in the current era, embraced by various groups.

And one symbol has risen to become notably significant – the frog. It began after video footage of a clash between a man in an amphibian costume and federal officers in the city of Portland, went viral. From there, it proliferated to demonstrations throughout the United States.

"There is much at play with that humble inflatable frog," states LM Bogad, a professor at University of California, Davis and an academic who specialises in political performance.

From the Pepe Meme to Portland

It's hard to talk about protests and frogs without talking about Pepe, an illustrated figure co-opted by online communities throughout a political race.

Initially, when this image gained popularity on the internet, people used it to signal certain emotions. Later, its use evolved to show support for a political figure, including a particular image endorsed by the candidate personally, depicting the frog with recognizable attire and hairstyle.

The frog was also portrayed in digital spaces in offensive ways, portrayed as a hate group member. Users traded "unique frog images" and set up cryptocurrency in his name. Its famous line, "feels good, man", was used a coded signal.

But Pepe didn't start out so controversial.

Its creator, the illustrator, has expressed about his distaste for its appropriation. His creation was meant as simply a relaxed amphibian in his comic world.

This character first appeared in comic strips in the mid-2000s – apolitical and best known for a quirky behavior. In a documentary, which documents the creator's attempt to wrest back control of his work, he said his drawing was inspired by his experiences with companions.

When he began, the artist experimented with uploading his work to the nascent social web, where the community began to borrow, remix and reinvent the frog. As its popularity grew into the more extreme corners of the internet, the creator sought to reject his creation, even killing him off in a comic strip.

Yet the frog persisted.

"It proves the lack of control over symbols," explains Prof Bogad. "Their meaning can evolve and be reworked."

Previously, the notoriety of Pepe resulted in amphibian imagery were predominantly linked to conservative politics. 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 spread rapidly online.

The moment occurred shortly after an order to deploy the National Guard to Portland, which was described as "war-ravaged". Activists began to gather in droves at a specific location, near a federal building.

Emotions ran high and an agent deployed irritant at a protester, targeting the opening of the inflatable suit.

The protester, Seth Todd, responded with a joke, stating it tasted like "spicier tamales". But the incident spread everywhere.

The frog suit was not too unusual for the city, known for its quirky culture and activist demonstrations that revel in the ridiculous – public yoga, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and nude cycling groups. Its creed is "Embrace the Strange."

This symbol even played a role in subsequent court proceedings between the federal government and Portland, which contended the use of troops overstepped authority.

Although a judge decided that month that the administration was within its rights to deploy troops, one judge dissented, referencing in her ruling demonstrators' "known tendency for using unusual attire when expressing their disagreement."

"It is easy to see the majority's ruling, which adopts the description of Portland as a war zone, as merely absurd," Judge Susan Graber wrote. "Yet the outcome goes beyond absurdity."

The order was "permanently" blocked just a month later, and personnel are said to have left the area.

Yet already, the frog had transformed into a significant protest icon for the left.

The costume appeared nationwide at No Kings protests that fall. There were frogs – along with other creatures – in major US cities. They were in rural communities and big international cities like Tokyo and London.

The inflatable suit was in high demand on major websites, and became more expensive.

Shaping the Visual Story

What connects the two amphibian symbols – lies in the dynamic between the silly, innocent image and serious intent. Experts call this "tactical frivolity."

The tactic relies on what the professor calls the "irresistible image" – frequently absurd, it acts as a "disarming and charming" performance that draws focus to a cause without needing directly articulating them. This is the silly outfit used, or the symbol you share.

The professor is both an expert in the subject and a veteran practitioner. He authored a text on the subject, and taught workshops around the world.

"You could go back to historical periods – under oppressive regimes, absurd humor is used to speak the truth indirectly and still have a layer of protection."

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

As activists take on a powerful opposition, humorous attire {takes control of|seizes|influences