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The resistance may not be televised, but it could have webbed feet and protruding eyes.

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

As protests against the leadership carry on in American cities, protesters have embraced the vibe of a neighborhood dress-up party. They've provided salsa lessons, handed out snacks, and ridden unicycles, as armed law enforcement watch.

Blending comedy and political action – an approach researchers refer to as "tactical frivolity" – is not new. Yet it has transformed into a defining feature of protests in the United States in the current era, embraced by both left and right.

A specific icon has risen to become notably significant – the frog. It began when video footage of an encounter between a man in an inflatable frog and federal officers in Portland, Oregon, became an internet sensation. It subsequently appeared to rallies throughout the United States.

"There is much going on with that humble frog costume," says LM Bogad, who teaches at University of California, Davis and an academic who studies creative activism.

The Path From Pepe to the Streets of Portland

It is difficult to examine demonstrations and amphibians without mentioning Pepe, a web comic frog co-opted by far-right groups throughout an election cycle.

Initially, when this image first took off online, people used it to convey certain emotions. Subsequently, its use evolved to show support for a candidate, including a particular image retweeted by the candidate himself, depicting Pepe with a signature suit and hair.

Pepe was also depicted in right-wing online communities in darker contexts, as a historical dictator. Participants exchanged "unique frog images" and set up cryptocurrency in his name. Its famous line, "feels good, man", was used an inside joke.

However Pepe didn't start out this divisive.

Its creator, artist Matt Furie, has expressed about his distaste for its appropriation. His creation was meant as simply a "chill frog-dude" in his series.

This character first appeared in a series of comics in the mid-2000s – non-political and famous for a particular bathroom habit. In a documentary, which documents the creator's attempt to take back of his work, he explained his drawing came from his experiences 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. When the meme proliferated into the more extreme corners of online spaces, the creator attempted to distance himself from the frog, including ending its life in a comic strip.

However, its legacy continued.

"This demonstrates that creators cannot own imagery," states Prof Bogad. "They can change and shift and be repurposed."

For a long time, the association of Pepe resulted in amphibian imagery were predominantly linked to conservative politics. But that changed recently, when a confrontation between an activist dressed in a blow-up amphibian suit and a federal agent in Portland spread rapidly online.

This incident came just days after a decision to deploy the National Guard to the city, which was described as "war-ravaged". Protesters began to gather in droves outside a facility, just outside of an ICE office.

Tensions were high and an agent deployed irritant at the individual, aiming directly into the opening of the inflatable suit.

The individual, the man in the costume, responded with a joke, stating he had tasted "spicier tamales". But the incident became a sensation.

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

The frog became part of in subsequent court proceedings between the federal government and Portland, which contended the deployment was unlawful.

While a ruling was issued that month that the president had the right to send personnel, a dissenting judge wrote, noting in her opinion the protesters' "well-known penchant for using unusual attire while voicing dissent."

"Observers may be tempted the court's opinion, which adopts the description of Portland as a battlefield, as simply ridiculous," she stated. "But today's decision has serious implications."

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

However, by that time, the amphibian costume had become a potent symbol of resistance for progressive movements.

The costume was seen nationwide at anti-authoritarian protests recently. Amphibian costumes were present – along with other creatures – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They appeared in rural communities and global metropolises abroad.

This item was sold out on online retailers, and saw its cost increase.

Mastering the Narrative

What brings the two amphibian symbols – lies in the relationship between the silly, innocent image and a deeper political meaning. This is what "tactical frivolity."

This approach is based on what the professor terms a "disarming display" – frequently absurd, it acts as a "appealing and non-threatening" act that calls attention to a message without obviously explaining them. This is the silly outfit used, or the meme circulated.

Mr Bogad is an analyst on this topic and an experienced participant. He authored a book called 'Tactical Performance', and taught workshops internationally.

"You could go back to historical periods – when people are dominated, they use absurdity to express dissent indirectly and while maintaining a layer of protection."

The idea of such tactics is three-fold, he says.

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