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This resistance won't be televised, yet it might possess amphibious toes and protruding eyes.

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

While protests against the leadership carry on in US cities, demonstrators are utilizing the spirit of a community costume parade. They have taught dance instruction, handed out snacks, and ridden unicycles, as armed law enforcement observe.

Combining humour and political action – an approach researchers term "tactical frivolity" – is not new. Yet it has transformed into a defining feature of US demonstrations in this period, embraced by all sides of the political spectrum.

One particular emblem has emerged as especially powerful – the frog. It began when a video of a confrontation between a man in a frog suit and immigration enforcement agents in the city of Portland, became an internet sensation. And it has since spread to protests nationwide.

"There is much happening with that small blow-up amphibian," says a professor, a professor at University of California, Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who focuses on political performance.

From a Cartoon Frog to Portland

It's challenging to talk about protests and frogs without talking about Pepe, a web comic frog embraced by far-right groups throughout a political race.

As the meme gained popularity on the internet, its purpose was to signal specific feelings. Later, it was deployed to express backing for a candidate, including one notable meme shared by that figure personally, portraying Pepe with a signature suit and hair.

Images also circulated in right-wing online communities in offensive ways, as a hate group member. Online conservatives traded "rare Pepes" and set up cryptocurrency in his name. Its famous line, "that feels good", was used an inside joke.

Yet the character did not originate as a political symbol.

The artist behind it, the illustrator, has expressed about his unhappiness for its appropriation. His creation was meant as simply a relaxed amphibian in his comic world.

The frog debuted in comic strips in the mid-2000s – apolitical and best known for a particular bathroom habit. A film, which chronicles Mr Furie's efforts to reclaim ownership of his creation, he stated the character came from his time with companions.

Early in his career, the artist tried uploading his work to new websites, where the community began to borrow, remix and reinvent his character. As Pepe spread into the more extreme corners of online spaces, the creator attempted to distance himself from his creation, including ending its life in a comic strip.

Yet the frog persisted.

"It shows that we don't control imagery," explains Prof Bogad. "They can change and shift and be reclaimed."

For a long time, the notoriety of this meme resulted in amphibian imagery were predominantly linked to conservative politics. But that changed recently, when a confrontation between a protestor dressed in a blow-up amphibian suit and a federal agent in Portland, Oregon captured global attention.

This incident occurred shortly after an order to send the National Guard to the city, which was called "a warzone". Protesters began to assemble in large numbers at a specific location, just outside of an ICE office.

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

The individual, Seth Todd, reacted humorously, saying it tasted like "spicier tamales". Yet the footage became a sensation.

The costume fit right in for Portland, known for its eccentric vibe and left-wing protests that delight in the ridiculous – outdoor exercise, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and unique parades. Its creed is "Embrace the Strange."

This symbol even played a role in subsequent court proceedings between the federal government and Portland, which argued the deployment was unlawful.

Although a ruling was issued that month that the administration was within its rights to send personnel, a minority opinion disagreed, mentioning demonstrators' "known tendency for wearing chicken suits when expressing their disagreement."

"Some might view the court's opinion, which accepts the government's characterization as a war zone, as simply ridiculous," she stated. "But today's decision is not merely absurd."

The order was halted by courts just a month later, and troops are said to have left the city.

But by then, the amphibian costume had become a powerful protest icon for progressive movements.

The inflatable suit was seen nationwide at anti-authoritarian protests recently. Amphibian costumes were present – along with other creatures – in major US cities. They appeared in rural communities and global metropolises abroad.

This item was in high demand on online retailers, and became more expensive.

Mastering the Visual Story

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

The strategy relies on what the professor calls a "disarming display" – usually humorous, it's a "disarming and charming" act that highlights your ideas without needing directly articulating them. It's the silly outfit you wear, or the meme circulated.

The professor is an analyst on this topic and a veteran practitioner. He authored a book called 'Tactical Performance', and led seminars internationally.

"One can look back to historical periods – when people are dominated, they use absurdity to speak the truth a little bit and while maintaining plausible deniability."

The idea of such tactics is three-fold, he explains.

As protesters confront authority, a silly costume {takes control of|seizes|influences