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The resistance may not be televised, yet it might possess webbed feet and protruding eyes.

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

While rallies against the leadership continue in American cities, protesters have embraced the energy of a community costume parade. They've provided dance instruction, distributed snacks, and performed on unicycles, as police watch.

Combining comedy and political action – an approach experts refer to as "tactical frivolity" – has historical precedent. However, it has emerged as a signature characteristic of American protest in the current era, adopted by all sides of the political spectrum.

And one symbol has emerged as particularly salient – the frog. It started when a video of a confrontation between an individual in an amphibian costume and ICE agents in the city of Portland, spread online. And it has since spread to protests across the country.

"There's a lot at play with that small frog costume," says LM Bogad, who teaches at UC Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who studies creative activism.

The Path From Pepe to the Streets of Portland

It's hard to discuss demonstrations and amphibians without talking about Pepe, a web comic frog co-opted by extremist movements during an election cycle.

Initially, when the character first took off online, people used it to express specific feelings. Subsequently, it was utilized to express backing for a candidate, including one notable meme endorsed by the candidate himself, depicting the frog with recognizable attire and hairstyle.

Images also circulated in right-wing online communities in darker contexts, as a hate group member. Participants exchanged "rare Pepes" and established cryptocurrency using its likeness. Its famous line, "that feels good", was used a shared phrase.

Yet its beginnings were not as a political symbol.

The artist behind it, artist Matt Furie, has stated about his disapproval for its appropriation. The character was intended as simply a relaxed amphibian in this artist's universe.

The frog first appeared in comic strips in the mid-2000s – apolitical and notable for a quirky behavior. In a documentary, which chronicles Mr Furie's efforts to reclaim ownership of his work, he said the character came from his experiences with friends and roommates.

When he began, the artist experimented with uploading his work to the nascent social web, where people online began to borrow, remix and reinvent his character. As Pepe spread into darker parts of the internet, Mr Furie tried to disavow the frog, even killing him off in a comic strip.

Yet the frog persisted.

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

Until recently, the popularity of Pepe resulted in amphibian imagery were largely associated with the right. But that changed on a day in October, when a viral moment between an activist dressed in an inflatable frog costume and a federal agent in Portland captured global attention.

This incident followed a directive to send military personnel to the city, which was described as "war-ravaged". Demonstrators began to congregate on a single block, near an immigration enforcement facility.

Tensions were high and an immigration officer sprayed pepper spray at the individual, aiming directly into the ventilation of the costume.

Seth Todd, Seth Todd, quipped, saying it tasted like "spicier tamales". But the incident became a sensation.

The frog suit was not too unusual for Portland, renowned for its unconventional spirit and left-wing protests that embrace the unusual – outdoor exercise, retro fitness classes, and unique parades. Its creed is "Keep Portland Weird."

The frog was also referenced in subsequent court proceedings between the federal government and Portland, which argued the deployment overstepped authority.

Although a judge decided in October that the president had the right to deploy troops, one judge dissented, noting in her opinion the protesters' "well-known penchant for using unusual attire while voicing opposition."

"It is easy to see the majority's ruling, which adopts the description of Portland as a war zone, as merely absurd," Judge Susan Graber stated. "But today's decision has serious implications."

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

Yet already, the frog had transformed into a powerful symbol of resistance for progressive movements.

This symbol was spotted nationwide at anti-authoritarian protests last autumn. Frogs appeared – along with other creatures – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They appeared in small towns and big international cities abroad.

The inflatable suit was sold out on online retailers, and saw its cost increase.

Mastering the Visual Story

What connects both frogs together – is the relationship between the silly, innocent image and a deeper political meaning. This is what "tactical frivolity."

The tactic rests on what Mr Bogad calls a "disarming display" – frequently absurd, it's a "disarming and charming" act that calls attention to your ideas without needing explicitly stating them. This is the unusual prop you wear, or the meme circulated.

The professor is an analyst on this topic and a veteran practitioner. He's written a book called 'Tactical Performance', and taught workshops internationally.

"One can look back to the Middle Ages – under oppressive regimes, absurd humor is used to speak the truth a little bit and still have a layer of protection."

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

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