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The resistance may not be televised, though it may feature webbed feet and large eyes.

It also might feature the horn of a unicorn or the plumage of a chicken.

As rallies opposing the government continue in American cities, demonstrators have embraced the energy of a community costume parade. They have taught dance instruction, given away treats, and ridden unicycles, as officers look on.

Blending comedy and political action – an approach experts term "tactical frivolity" – is not new. Yet it has transformed into a hallmark of US demonstrations in the current era, used by all sides of the political spectrum.

A specific icon has risen to become particularly salient – the frog. It originated when video footage of a confrontation between a protester in a frog suit and immigration enforcement agents in the city of Portland, spread online. It subsequently appeared to demonstrations across the country.

"There is much happening with that humble blow-up amphibian," states an expert, a professor at University of California, Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who focuses on performance art.

The Path From the Pepe Meme to the Streets of Portland

It is difficult to talk about demonstrations and amphibians without mentioning Pepe, a cartoon character embraced by online communities throughout a previous presidential campaign.

As this image initially spread online, its purpose was to signal specific feelings. Later, it was deployed to endorse a political figure, including one notable meme retweeted by the candidate himself, depicting Pepe with a signature suit and hair.

Images also circulated in right-wing online communities in offensive ways, as a historical dictator. Users exchanged "unique frog images" and set up cryptocurrency using its likeness. His catchphrase, "that feels good", was used an inside joke.

However the character did not originate as a political symbol.

The artist behind it, artist Matt Furie, has expressed about his unhappiness for its co-option. His creation was meant as simply a relaxed amphibian in this artist's universe.

This character first appeared in an online comic in 2005 – non-political and notable for a particular bathroom habit. A film, which chronicles Mr Furie's efforts to take back of his work, he said the character came from his life with companions.

Early in his career, Mr Furie experimented with uploading his work to new websites, where other users began to copy, alter, and reinterpret his character. When the meme proliferated into fringe areas of online spaces, Mr Furie tried to disavow his creation, even killing him off in a final panel.

However, its legacy continued.

"This demonstrates that creators cannot own symbols," states the professor. "They can change and shift and be reclaimed."

For a long time, the popularity of Pepe meant that frogs were predominantly linked to the right. This shifted recently, when a confrontation between an activist wearing a blow-up amphibian suit and a federal agent in Portland captured global attention.

This incident came just days after a decision to send the National Guard to the city, which was called "a warzone". Activists began to assemble in large numbers at a specific location, near an ICE office.

The situation was tense and an immigration officer used pepper spray at a protester, directing it into the opening of the inflatable suit.

The protester, the man in the costume, reacted humorously, stating he had tasted "something milder". However, the video became a sensation.

The costume fit right in for Portland, renowned for its quirky culture and left-wing protests that embrace the ridiculous – outdoor exercise, retro fitness classes, and unique parades. Its creed is "Keep Portland Weird."

The frog even played a role in a lawsuit between the federal government and Portland, which argued the use of troops was unlawful.

Although a ruling was issued in October that the administration was within its rights to send personnel, one judge dissented, noting in her opinion the protesters' "well-known penchant for donning inflatable costumes when expressing their disagreement."

"Some might view the court's opinion, which adopts the description of Portland as a battlefield, as simply ridiculous," she opined. "But today's decision is not merely absurd."

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

But by then, the frog had become a potent symbol of resistance for the left.

This symbol was seen nationwide at anti-authoritarian protests that fall. Frogs appeared – along with other creatures – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They appeared in small towns and global metropolises abroad.

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

Shaping the Optics

What connects Pepe and the protest frog – is the dynamic between the silly, innocent image and a deeper political meaning. This is what "tactical frivolity."

This approach is based on what Mr Bogad calls a "disarming display" – frequently absurd, it acts as a "disarming and charming" act that draws focus to a message without needing explicitly stating them. It's the unusual prop used, or the meme circulated.

Mr Bogad is an analyst on this topic and someone who uses these tactics. He's written a book on the subject, and taught workshops around the world.

"One can look back to historical periods – when people are dominated, they use absurdity to express dissent a little bit and still have plausible deniability."

The theory of this approach is multi-faceted, Mr Bogad explains.

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