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The resistance may not be broadcast, yet it might possess amphibious toes and protruding eyes.

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

While rallies opposing the administration continue in US cities, protesters are utilizing the vibe of a local block party. They've offered dance instruction, given away snacks, and ridden unicycles, while officers observe.

Mixing levity and political action – a strategy researchers call "tactical frivolity" – is not new. But it has become a defining feature of US demonstrations in the current era, adopted by all sides of the political spectrum.

One particular emblem has emerged as especially powerful – the frog. It originated when recordings of a confrontation between a protester in a frog suit and immigration enforcement agents in Portland, Oregon, became an internet sensation. And it has since spread to demonstrations across the country.

"A great deal at play with that small blow-up amphibian," notes a professor, who teaches at University of California, Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who studies performance art.

From Pepe to Portland

It is difficult to talk about demonstrations and amphibians without mentioning Pepe, an illustrated figure co-opted by far-right groups throughout a political race.

Initially, when the character first took off on the internet, people used it to signal certain emotions. Subsequently, it was utilized to endorse a political figure, including one notable meme retweeted by that figure personally, portraying the frog with recognizable attire and hairstyle.

Pepe was also depicted in right-wing online communities in more extreme scenarios, portrayed as a hate group member. Online conservatives traded "unique frog images" and set up digital currency in his name. His catchphrase, "that feels good", was deployed a coded signal.

Yet its beginnings were not as a political symbol.

Its creator, the illustrator, has stated about his disapproval for its co-option. Pepe was supposed to be simply a relaxed amphibian in his comic world.

Pepe first appeared in an online comic in 2005 – apolitical and famous for a quirky behavior. In 'Feels Good Man', which follows Mr Furie's efforts to reclaim ownership of his creation, he stated his drawing was inspired by his life with friends and roommates.

As he started out, the artist tried uploading his work to early internet platforms, where other users began to copy, alter, and reinterpret his character. When the meme proliferated into fringe areas of the internet, Mr Furie tried to disavow the frog, including ending its life in a comic strip.

Yet the frog persisted.

"It shows that we don't control imagery," states Prof Bogad. "Their meaning can evolve and be reclaimed."

Previously, the association of Pepe resulted in frogs were largely associated with the right. But that changed in early October, when a viral moment between a protestor dressed in a blow-up amphibian suit and an immigration officer in Portland spread rapidly online.

The moment followed an order to deploy military personnel to the city, which was called "a warzone". Activists began to assemble in large numbers at a specific location, just outside of a federal building.

Emotions ran high and an agent used a chemical agent at a protester, targeting the ventilation of the puffy frog costume.

The individual, the man in the costume, responded with a joke, remarking he had tasted "spicier tamales". However, the video spread everywhere.

The costume fit right in for Portland, famous for its quirky culture and left-wing protests that revel in the unusual – public yoga, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and nude cycling groups. The city's unofficial motto is "Embrace the Strange."

This symbol even played a role in a lawsuit between the administration and Portland, which contended the use of troops overstepped authority.

While the court ruled in October that the administration had the right to send personnel, a dissenting judge wrote, mentioning demonstrators' "propensity for using unusual attire when expressing dissent."

"Some might view the majority's ruling, which adopts the description of Portland as a war zone, as simply ridiculous," Judge Susan Graber wrote. "Yet the outcome has serious implications."

The deployment was halted by courts subsequently, and troops are said to have left the area.

However, by that time, the amphibian costume had transformed into a potent anti-administration symbol for progressive movements.

This symbol was spotted in many cities at anti-authoritarian protests that fall. Amphibian costumes were present – along with other creatures – in major US cities. They appeared in rural communities and big international cities abroad.

This item was sold out on major websites, and rose in price.

Mastering the Narrative

What connects both frogs together – lies in the interplay between the humorous, benign cartoon and serious intent. This concept is "tactical frivolity."

The strategy relies on what Mr Bogad terms a "disarming display" – often silly, it acts as a "appealing and non-threatening" display that draws focus to a message without directly articulating them. This is the unusual prop you wear, or the symbol you share.

Mr Bogad is both an expert on this topic and someone who uses these tactics. He's written a book called 'Tactical Performance', and taught workshops around the world.

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

The purpose of such tactics is three-fold, he explains.

When activists confront a powerful opposition, a silly costume {takes control of|seizes|influences