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The resistance won't be broadcast, but it could have webbed feet and protruding eyes.

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

While protests opposing the government persist in American cities, protesters are utilizing the energy of a community costume parade. They have taught dance instruction, given away snacks, and ridden unicycles, while armed law enforcement observe.

Blending comedy and political action – a tactic social scientists term "tactical frivolity" – is not new. But it has become a hallmark of American protest 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 video footage of a clash between a man in an inflatable frog and immigration enforcement agents in Portland, Oregon, went viral. It subsequently appeared to rallies nationwide.

"A great deal going on with that humble frog costume," notes a professor, a professor at University of California, Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who specialises in creative activism.

From a Cartoon Frog to the Streets of Portland

It is difficult to discuss demonstrations and amphibians without talking about Pepe, an illustrated figure adopted by online communities during a previous presidential campaign.

Initially, when the meme initially spread on the internet, its purpose was to express specific feelings. Afterwards, its use evolved to endorse a political figure, including one notable meme endorsed by the candidate himself, depicting the frog with recognizable attire and hairstyle.

Pepe was also depicted in digital spaces in darker contexts, portrayed as a historical dictator. Participants traded "unique frog images" and established cryptocurrency using its likeness. Its famous line, "that feels good", was used an inside joke.

However its beginnings were not this divisive.

Its creator, the illustrator, has been vocal about his unhappiness for how the image has been used. His creation was meant as simply an apolitical figure in this artist's universe.

This character debuted in comic strips in the mid-2000s – apolitical and best known for a quirky behavior. A film, which chronicles Mr Furie's efforts to reclaim ownership of his work, he stated the character was inspired by his life with companions.

When he began, the artist experimented with sharing his art to the nascent social web, where the community began to copy, alter, and reinterpret his character. As Pepe spread into the more extreme corners of the internet, Mr Furie attempted to distance himself from his creation, including ending its life in a comic strip.

But Pepe lived on.

"It proves the lack of control over symbols," says the professor. "Their meaning can evolve and be reworked."

For a long time, the notoriety of this meme meant that frogs were largely associated with conservative politics. A transformation occurred on a day in October, when a viral moment between an activist dressed in an inflatable frog costume and a federal agent in Portland, Oregon spread rapidly online.

The event occurred shortly after an order to send the National Guard to Portland, which was called "a warzone". Activists began to assemble in large numbers on a single block, near an ICE office.

The situation was tense and an immigration officer sprayed pepper spray at a protester, directing it into the ventilation of the puffy frog costume.

Seth Todd, Seth Todd, quipped, saying he had tasted "something milder". However, the video went viral.

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

The frog even played a role in the ensuing legal battle between the federal government and the city, which contended the deployment was unlawful.

Although the court ruled that month that the president had the right to send personnel, a dissenting judge wrote, referencing in her ruling demonstrators' "well-known penchant for donning inflatable costumes when expressing their disagreement."

"Observers may be tempted the court's opinion, which adopts the government's characterization as a war zone, as merely absurd," the dissenting judge wrote. "However, this ruling is not merely absurd."

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

However, by that time, the amphibian costume was now a significant protest icon for the left.

The costume was seen across the country at anti-authoritarian protests recently. Frogs appeared – and unicorns and axolotls and dinosaurs – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They appeared in small towns and big international cities abroad.

This item was sold out on online retailers, and rose in price.

Shaping the Visual Story

What connects the two amphibian symbols – lies in the relationship between the humorous, benign cartoon and serious intent. Experts call this "tactical frivolity."

The strategy rests on what the professor terms a "disarming display" – often silly, it acts as a "appealing and non-threatening" performance that draws focus to your ideas without needing explicitly stating them. It's the goofy costume you wear, or the meme you share.

The professor is an analyst on this topic and someone who uses these tactics. He authored a book called 'Tactical Performance', and taught workshops around the world.

"One can look back to historical periods – under oppressive regimes, they use absurdity to express dissent indirectly and still have plausible deniability."

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

As protesters confront a powerful opposition, humorous attire {takes control of|seizes|influences