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The resistance won't be broadcast, though it may feature webbed feet and bulging eyes.

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

Whilst protests against the leadership persist in US cities, demonstrators are utilizing the energy of a community costume parade. They've provided dance instruction, distributed treats, and performed on unicycles, as officers watch.

Mixing levity and politics – an approach social scientists refer to as "tactical frivolity" – isn't novel. Yet it has transformed into a signature characteristic of protests in the United States in the current era, embraced by all sides of the political spectrum.

A specific icon has emerged as especially powerful – the frog. It originated after video footage of an encounter between an individual in an inflatable frog and immigration enforcement agents in Portland, Oregon, became an internet sensation. From there, it proliferated to demonstrations nationwide.

"There's a lot at play with that small frog costume," notes 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 challenging to examine demonstrations and amphibians without mentioning Pepe, a web comic frog embraced by online communities during a political race.

Initially, when the meme first took off online, it was used to express specific feelings. Subsequently, its use evolved to show support for a political figure, including one notable meme endorsed by that figure personally, depicting Pepe with a signature suit and hair.

Images also circulated in digital spaces in darker contexts, portrayed as a historical dictator. Online conservatives traded "unique frog images" and established digital currency using its likeness. Its famous line, "feels good, man", became a coded signal.

However the character did not originate so controversial.

The artist behind it, artist Matt Furie, has been vocal about his disapproval for its appropriation. His creation was meant as simply a relaxed amphibian in his series.

Pepe debuted in a series of comics in the mid-2000s – apolitical and best known for a quirky behavior. In a documentary, which follows Mr Furie's efforts to wrest back control of his work, he said the character was inspired by his time with friends and roommates.

Early in his career, the artist tried 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 the internet, the creator tried to disavow his creation, including ending its life in a final panel.

Yet the frog persisted.

"This demonstrates that we don't control icons," says the professor. "They can change and shift and be reclaimed."

Previously, the popularity of Pepe meant that amphibian imagery became a symbol for conservative politics. This shifted on a day in October, when a viral moment between an activist dressed in an inflatable frog costume and an immigration officer in Portland captured global attention.

The moment occurred shortly after a directive to deploy military personnel to the city, which was called "a warzone". Demonstrators began to assemble in large numbers at a specific location, near an ICE office.

Emotions ran high and an agent sprayed irritant at the individual, targeting the ventilation of the puffy frog costume.

The individual, Seth Todd, responded with a joke, saying he had tasted "spicier tamales". However, the video became a sensation.

Mr Todd's attire was somewhat typical for the city, famous for its eccentric vibe and left-wing protests that revel in the ridiculous – public yoga, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and nude cycling groups. A local saying is "Keep Portland Weird."

This symbol was also referenced in the ensuing legal battle between the administration and the city, which argued the use of troops overstepped authority.

Although the court ruled in October that the president was within its rights to send personnel, a dissenting judge wrote, noting in her opinion the protesters' "propensity for donning inflatable costumes while voicing their disagreement."

"Observers may be tempted the court's opinion, which adopts the description of Portland as a battlefield, as merely absurd," she opined. "However, this ruling has serious implications."

The deployment was stopped legally soon after, and personnel have reportedly departed the area.

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

The costume was seen nationwide at anti-authoritarian protests recently. There were frogs – and unicorns and axolotls and dinosaurs – in major US cities. They appeared in rural communities and global metropolises like Tokyo and London.

The frog costume was sold out on major websites, and rose in price.

Mastering the Optics

What brings Pepe and the protest frog – is the relationship between the silly, innocent image and serious intent. Experts call this "tactical frivolity."

The strategy rests on what Mr Bogad terms a "disarming display" – usually humorous, it acts as a "disarming and charming" performance that calls attention to your ideas without explicitly stating them. It's the goofy costume used, or the meme circulated.

The professor is both an expert on this topic and a veteran practitioner. He's written a text on the subject, and led seminars internationally.

"You could go back to the Middle Ages – under oppressive regimes, they use absurdity to speak the truth a little bit and still have a layer of protection."

The theory of this approach is three-fold, Mr Bogad says.

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