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The resistance isn't broadcast, but it could have amphibious toes and bulging eyes.

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

Whilst demonstrations against the government continue in American cities, demonstrators are utilizing the spirit of a community costume parade. They've offered dance instruction, distributed snacks, and ridden unicycles, while police look on.

Blending humour and politics – a strategy social scientists call "tactical frivolity" – is not new. Yet it has transformed into a signature characteristic of protests in the United States in recent years, adopted by various groups.

One particular emblem has emerged as particularly salient – the frog. It originated when video footage of an encounter between a man in a frog suit and immigration enforcement agents in Portland, Oregon, became an internet sensation. From there, it proliferated to rallies throughout the United States.

"There's a lot going on with that humble inflatable frog," states a professor, a professor at UC Davis and an academic who focuses on creative activism.

From the Pepe Meme to Portland

It is difficult to examine demonstrations and amphibians without addressing Pepe, a cartoon character adopted by online communities throughout an election cycle.

Initially, when the character gained popularity on the internet, people used it to convey certain emotions. Subsequently, its use evolved to show support for a political figure, including one notable meme shared by that figure personally, portraying the frog with recognizable attire and hairstyle.

The frog was also portrayed in certain internet forums in offensive ways, portrayed as a historical dictator. Participants traded "rare Pepes" and set up cryptocurrency in his name. Its famous line, "that feels good", was deployed an inside joke.

Yet Pepe didn't start out this divisive.

Its creator, the illustrator, has stated about his distaste for its appropriation. His creation was meant as simply an apolitical figure in his series.

The frog debuted in a series of comics in 2005 – apolitical and notable for a quirky behavior. In a documentary, which chronicles Mr Furie's efforts to wrest back control of his creation, he explained the character was inspired by his life with companions.

Early in his career, Mr Furie tried uploading his work to new websites, where people online began to copy, alter, and reinterpret the frog. As its popularity grew into darker parts of online spaces, Mr Furie sought to reject the frog, even killing him off in a final panel.

However, its legacy continued.

"It shows that we don't control icons," explains the professor. "They transform and be reworked."

Previously, the popularity of Pepe meant that frogs were predominantly linked to conservative politics. But that changed on a day in October, when a viral moment between an activist wearing an inflatable frog costume and a federal agent in Portland, Oregon spread rapidly online.

This incident followed a directive to send the National Guard to the city, which was called "a warzone". Protesters began to congregate outside a facility, just outside of an immigration enforcement facility.

The situation was tense and an immigration officer sprayed pepper spray at the individual, targeting the air intake fan of the costume.

The protester, the man in the costume, reacted humorously, remarking it tasted like "something milder". But the incident became a sensation.

Mr Todd's attire was not too unusual for Portland, famous for its quirky culture and activist demonstrations that delight in the absurd – public yoga, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and unique parades. Its creed is "Embrace the Strange."

The costume became part of in subsequent court proceedings between the federal government and the city, which argued the use of troops was unlawful.

While the court ruled in October that the president had the right to deploy troops, a dissenting judge wrote, noting in her opinion the protesters' "propensity for donning inflatable costumes while voicing their disagreement."

"Some might view the court's opinion, which accepts the description of Portland as a battlefield, as simply ridiculous," she opined. "However, this ruling has serious implications."

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

Yet already, the amphibian costume was now a powerful anti-administration symbol for the left.

The inflatable suit was spotted in many cities at No Kings protests last autumn. Amphibian costumes were present – and unicorns and axolotls and dinosaurs – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They were in rural communities and big international cities like Tokyo and London.

The inflatable suit was in high demand on online retailers, and rose in price.

Mastering the Visual Story

What connects Pepe and the protest frog – lies in the dynamic between the humorous, benign cartoon and underlying political significance. This concept is "tactical frivolity."

The tactic rests on what the professor terms a "disarming display" – often silly, it's a "disarming and charming" display that highlights a cause without needing explicitly stating them. This is the silly outfit used, or the symbol you share.

Mr Bogad is both an expert in the subject and an experienced participant. He authored a book called 'Tactical Performance', and taught workshops internationally.

"You could go back to historical periods – under oppressive regimes, absurd humor is used to speak the truth a little bit and while maintaining plausible deniability."

The idea of such tactics is multi-faceted, he explains.

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