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The resistance may not be broadcast, but it could have webbed feet and protruding eyes.

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

As demonstrations against the government continue in US cities, protesters are utilizing the spirit of a community costume parade. They have taught dance instruction, handed out snacks, and performed on unicycles, while armed law enforcement watch.

Combining levity and politics – a tactic social scientists term "tactical frivolity" – has historical precedent. But it has become a defining feature of American protest in the current era, embraced by various groups.

One particular emblem has emerged as especially powerful – the frog. It originated when video footage of an encounter between a protester in a frog suit and ICE agents in the city of Portland, spread online. From there, it proliferated to demonstrations nationwide.

"There is much at play with that small frog costume," notes LM Bogad, who teaches at UC Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who studies performance art.

The Path From Pepe to the Streets of Portland

It is difficult to talk about demonstrations and amphibians without talking about Pepe, an illustrated figure adopted by far-right groups throughout a previous presidential campaign.

When the meme initially spread on the internet, people used it to express specific feelings. Afterwards, it was deployed to endorse a candidate, including one notable meme endorsed by that figure himself, portraying Pepe with recognizable attire and hairstyle.

Pepe was also depicted in certain internet forums in offensive ways, portrayed as a historical dictator. Online conservatives exchanged "rare Pepes" and set up cryptocurrency using its likeness. His catchphrase, "feels good, man", was used a shared phrase.

However the character did not originate this divisive.

Matt Furie, artist Matt Furie, has expressed about his disapproval for its co-option. The character was intended as simply an apolitical figure in his series.

This character debuted in comic strips in the mid-2000s – apolitical and best known for a quirky behavior. In a documentary, which documents the creator's attempt to take back of his work, he stated the character was inspired by his time with friends and roommates.

Early in his career, Mr Furie tried sharing his art to new websites, where other users began to borrow, remix and reinvent his character. When the meme proliferated into the more extreme corners of online spaces, the creator sought to reject his creation, including ending its life in a comic strip.

Yet the frog persisted.

"It proves the lack of control over imagery," states Prof Bogad. "They can change and shift and be repurposed."

Until recently, the notoriety of this meme resulted in frogs were largely associated with the right. This shifted in early October, when a viral moment between a protestor wearing a blow-up amphibian suit and an immigration officer in Portland, Oregon captured global attention.

The moment followed an order to deploy the National Guard to the city, which was called "a warzone". Protesters began to assemble in large numbers on a single block, near an ICE office.

Tensions were high and a officer used irritant at the individual, directing it into the opening of the inflatable suit.

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

The costume was not too unusual for Portland, famous for its eccentric vibe and activist demonstrations that delight in the unusual – public yoga, retro fitness classes, and nude cycling groups. Its creed is "Embrace the Strange."

The frog was also referenced in a lawsuit between the administration and the city, which argued the use of troops was illegal.

While a judge decided in October that the administration had the right to deploy troops, a dissenting judge wrote, referencing in her ruling the protesters' "known tendency for using unusual attire when expressing opposition."

"It is easy to see this decision, which adopts the description of Portland as a battlefield, as simply ridiculous," Judge Susan Graber stated. "However, this ruling is not merely absurd."

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

However, by that time, the frog had become a significant symbol of resistance for the left.

This symbol appeared in many cities at No Kings protests recently. There were frogs – and unicorns and axolotls and dinosaurs – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They appeared in small towns and global metropolises like Tokyo and London.

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

Mastering the Optics

What brings the two amphibian symbols – lies in the dynamic between the silly, innocent image and serious intent. Experts call this "tactical frivolity."

The strategy relies on what the professor terms the "irresistible image" – usually humorous, it's a "disarming and charming" display that calls attention to a message without explicitly stating them. This is the silly outfit you wear, or the symbol you share.

The professor is both an expert on this topic and someone who uses these tactics. He's written a book on the subject, and taught workshops internationally.

"You could go back to historical periods – under oppressive regimes, they use absurdity to speak the truth indirectly and while maintaining plausible deniability."

The theory of such tactics is multi-faceted, Mr Bogad explains.

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