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This resistance isn't televised, though it may feature webbed feet and protruding eyes.

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

Whilst protests against the leadership continue in American cities, participants have embraced the spirit of a neighborhood dress-up party. They have taught salsa lessons, handed out snacks, and performed on unicycles, as police observe.

Combining levity and political action – a tactic experts refer to as "tactical frivolity" – isn't novel. However, it has emerged as a signature characteristic of protests in the United States in recent years, adopted by all sides of the political spectrum.

One particular emblem has proven to be notably significant – the frog. It began after recordings of a clash between an individual in an inflatable frog and ICE agents in Portland, Oregon, became an internet sensation. From there, it proliferated to rallies across the country.

"A great deal at play with that small inflatable frog," says an expert, a professor at University of California, Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who specialises in creative activism.

From Pepe to Portland

It is difficult to examine demonstrations and amphibians without mentioning Pepe, a web comic frog embraced by far-right groups throughout a political race.

Initially, when the character gained popularity online, people used it to convey certain emotions. Afterwards, it was deployed to endorse a candidate, including a particular image retweeted by the candidate himself, portraying the frog with recognizable attire and hairstyle.

The frog was also portrayed in digital spaces in offensive ways, as a historical dictator. Users traded "unique frog images" and established cryptocurrency in his name. Its famous line, "that feels good", became an inside joke.

But its beginnings were not as a political symbol.

Its creator, the illustrator, has expressed about his disapproval for its co-option. His creation was meant as simply an apolitical figure in his comic world.

Pepe first appeared in an online comic in 2005 – non-political and notable for a quirky behavior. In a documentary, which follows Mr Furie's efforts to wrest back control of his creation, he stated the character came from his experiences with friends and roommates.

As he started out, the artist tried sharing his art to the nascent social web, where the community began to borrow, remix and reinvent the frog. When the meme proliferated into fringe areas of online spaces, the creator attempted to distance himself from the frog, even killing him off in a comic strip.

Yet the frog persisted.

"It proves that we don't control icons," says Prof Bogad. "They can change and shift and be reclaimed."

For a long time, the association of this meme resulted in frogs were largely associated with the right. A transformation occurred in early October, when a viral moment between a protestor wearing an inflatable frog costume and an immigration officer in Portland spread rapidly online.

The moment came just days after a decision to send military personnel to the city, which was called "a warzone". Protesters began to gather in droves on a single block, just outside of a federal building.

Emotions ran high and a officer sprayed irritant at the individual, aiming directly into the air intake fan of the inflatable suit.

Seth Todd, the man in the costume, quipped, saying it tasted like "something milder". But the incident went viral.

Mr Todd's attire was not too unusual for Portland, famous for its quirky culture and activist demonstrations that delight in the absurd – public yoga, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and unique parades. Its creed is "Embrace the Strange."

This symbol even played a role in the ensuing legal battle between the administration and the city, which argued the deployment overstepped authority.

While a ruling was issued in October that the president had the right to deploy troops, a dissenting judge wrote, mentioning the protesters' "known tendency for wearing chicken suits while voicing opposition."

"It is easy to see the majority's ruling, which adopts the government's characterization as a battlefield, as merely absurd," Judge Susan Graber stated. "But today's decision has serious implications."

The order was stopped legally just a month later, and personnel are said to have left the area.

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

This symbol was seen across the country at No Kings protests recently. There were frogs – along with other creatures – in major US cities. They were in rural communities and big international cities abroad.

This item was backordered on major websites, and saw its cost increase.

Mastering the Visual Story

What brings both frogs together – lies in the dynamic between the humorous, benign cartoon and serious intent. This concept is "tactical frivolity."

This approach relies on what the professor calls the "irresistible image" – often silly, it acts as a "appealing and non-threatening" act that calls attention to a message without explicitly stating them. It's the silly outfit used, or the meme circulated.

Mr Bogad is an analyst in the subject and an experienced participant. He's written a text called 'Tactical Performance', and led seminars around the world.

"One can look back to the Middle Ages – when people are dominated, absurd humor is used to speak the truth a little bit and while maintaining a layer of protection."

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

As activists confront the state, a silly costume {takes control of|seizes|influences