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This resistance won't be televised, yet it might possess webbed feet and bulging eyes.

It also might feature the horn of a unicorn or the plumage of a chicken.

Whilst demonstrations opposing the government continue in American cities, protesters are utilizing the spirit of a local block party. They have taught dance instruction, given away snacks, and performed on unicycles, while officers observe.

Mixing comedy and politics – a tactic social scientists call "tactical frivolity" – isn't novel. However, it has emerged as a signature characteristic of American protest in the current era, adopted by all sides of the political spectrum.

A specific icon has proven to be especially powerful – the frog. It originated when recordings of a clash between a protester in a frog suit and federal officers in the city of Portland, became an internet sensation. From there, it proliferated to demonstrations across the country.

"There is much at play with that little inflatable frog," notes an expert, who teaches at UC Davis and an academic who focuses on creative activism.

From Pepe to the Streets of Portland

It's challenging to talk about demonstrations and amphibians without talking about Pepe, an illustrated figure co-opted by extremist movements during a previous presidential campaign.

When the character gained popularity on the internet, it was used to signal specific feelings. Subsequently, it was utilized to express backing for a political figure, including one notable meme endorsed by that figure personally, portraying Pepe with a signature suit and hair.

Images also circulated in right-wing online communities in more extreme scenarios, portrayed as a historical dictator. Online conservatives traded "unique frog images" and established cryptocurrency using its likeness. Its famous line, "that feels good", was deployed a coded signal.

But its beginnings were not so controversial.

Its creator, the illustrator, has expressed about his distaste for its appropriation. His creation was meant as simply an apolitical figure in this artist's universe.

The frog first appeared in comic strips in 2005 – apolitical and famous for a particular bathroom habit. In 'Feels Good Man', which documents the creator's attempt to reclaim ownership of his creation, he explained the character was inspired by his life with companions.

Early in his career, Mr Furie tried sharing his art to early internet platforms, where other users began to copy, alter, and reinterpret his character. When the meme proliferated into the more extreme corners of the internet, the creator tried to disavow his creation, including ending its life in a final panel.

However, its legacy continued.

"It shows that creators cannot own imagery," says Prof Bogad. "They can change and shift and be repurposed."

Until recently, the notoriety of this meme resulted in amphibian imagery were largely associated with conservative politics. A transformation occurred on a day in October, when a confrontation between an activist wearing a blow-up amphibian suit and a federal agent in Portland went viral.

The event came just days after an order to send military personnel to Portland, which was called "a warzone". Activists began to congregate at a specific location, near a federal building.

The situation was tense and an agent deployed pepper spray at the individual, directing it into the air intake fan of the puffy frog costume.

The individual, the man in the costume, reacted humorously, remarking he had tasted "something milder". But the incident became a sensation.

The costume was not too unusual for Portland, famous for its eccentric vibe and activist demonstrations that revel in the unusual – outdoor exercise, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and unique parades. Its creed is "Embrace the Strange."

The frog even played a role in subsequent court proceedings between the administration and the city, which claimed the deployment overstepped authority.

Although a ruling was issued that month that the president had the right to send personnel, a dissenting judge wrote, noting in her opinion the protesters' "known tendency for using unusual attire when expressing opposition."

"Some might view the court's opinion, which accepts the government's characterization as a battlefield, as merely absurd," the dissenting judge stated. "But today's decision is not merely absurd."

The deployment was "permanently" blocked soon after, and troops withdrew from the city.

Yet already, the amphibian costume had become a potent anti-administration symbol for progressive movements.

The costume was spotted nationwide at anti-authoritarian protests that fall. Frogs appeared – and unicorns and axolotls and dinosaurs – in major US cities. They appeared in rural communities and big international cities abroad.

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

Shaping the Visual Story

What brings Pepe and the protest frog – lies in the dynamic between the silly, innocent image and serious intent. This concept is "tactical frivolity."

The strategy relies on what Mr Bogad calls the "irresistible image" – usually humorous, it acts as a "disarming and charming" act that highlights a message without obviously explaining them. This is the silly outfit you wear, or the meme circulated.

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

"You could go back to historical periods – when people are dominated, they use absurdity to express dissent a little bit and while maintaining plausible deniability."

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

As activists take on a powerful opposition, a silly costume {takes control of|seizes|influences