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This resistance isn't televised, but it could have amphibious toes and large eyes.

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

As rallies opposing the leadership carry on in American cities, participants are adopting the spirit of a neighborhood dress-up party. They have taught salsa lessons, given away snacks, and performed on unicycles, as armed law enforcement observe.

Mixing levity and political action – an approach researchers refer to as "tactical frivolity" – has historical precedent. Yet it has transformed into a hallmark of American protest in this period, used by various groups.

And one symbol has emerged as particularly salient – the frog. It began after video footage of an encounter between an individual in a frog suit and federal officers in the city of Portland, became an internet sensation. From there, it proliferated to rallies across the country.

"There is much happening with that small frog costume," says a professor, a professor at University of California, Davis and an academic who specialises in political performance.

The Path From a Cartoon Frog to the Streets of Portland

It's hard to talk about demonstrations and amphibians without addressing Pepe, a cartoon character co-opted by extremist movements throughout a political race.

When the meme gained popularity online, it was used to convey specific feelings. Later, it was utilized to express backing for a political figure, including a particular image endorsed by that figure personally, portraying Pepe with recognizable attire and hairstyle.

Pepe was also depicted in right-wing online communities in darker contexts, portrayed as a historical dictator. Online conservatives traded "rare Pepes" and established digital currency in his name. Its famous line, "feels good, man", became a shared phrase.

Yet Pepe didn't start out this divisive.

Its creator, the illustrator, has stated about his unhappiness for how the image has been used. The character was intended as simply a "chill frog-dude" in his comic world.

Pepe first appeared in comic strips in the mid-2000s – apolitical and famous for a particular bathroom habit. In 'Feels Good Man', 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.

As he started out, Mr Furie tried uploading his work to new websites, where the community began to borrow, remix and reinvent his character. As its popularity grew into darker parts of the internet, the creator sought to reject the frog, even killing him off in a final panel.

However, its legacy continued.

"It proves that creators cannot own imagery," states Prof Bogad. "They transform and be reworked."

Previously, the popularity of this meme resulted in frogs became a symbol for the right. This shifted on a day in October, when a confrontation between a protestor dressed in an inflatable frog costume and an immigration officer in Portland, Oregon captured global attention.

This incident came just days after a directive to send military personnel to the city, which was called "war-ravaged". Demonstrators began to assemble in large numbers on a single block, just outside of a federal building.

The situation was tense and an agent used a chemical agent at the individual, directing it into the ventilation of the puffy frog costume.

The individual, Seth Todd, quipped, saying it tasted like "something milder". However, the video went viral.

The costume was somewhat typical for the city, renowned for its eccentric vibe and activist demonstrations that delight in the unusual – public yoga, retro fitness classes, and unique parades. Its creed is "Keep Portland Weird."

The costume was also referenced in subsequent court proceedings between the administration and Portland, which claimed the use of troops overstepped authority.

While a ruling was issued that month that the president had the right to deploy troops, a dissenting judge wrote, referencing in her ruling the protesters' "well-known penchant for using unusual attire when expressing opposition."

"It is easy to see the majority's ruling, which adopts the description of Portland as a war zone, as simply ridiculous," the dissenting judge wrote. "Yet the outcome is not merely absurd."

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

But by then, the amphibian costume had become a potent symbol of resistance for progressive movements.

The costume was spotted nationwide at anti-authoritarian protests that fall. Amphibian costumes were present – along with other creatures – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They were in rural communities and global metropolises abroad.

The inflatable suit was sold out on online retailers, and saw its cost increase.

Shaping the Optics

What connects the two amphibian symbols – lies in the relationship between the humorous, benign cartoon and serious intent. This is what "tactical frivolity."

This approach rests on what the professor calls the "irresistible image" – often silly, it's a "appealing and non-threatening" display that highlights a cause without obviously explaining them. This is the unusual prop used, or the symbol you share.

Mr Bogad is both an expert on this topic and an experienced participant. He's written a book on the subject, and taught workshops internationally.

"One can look back to the Middle Ages – under oppressive regimes, they use absurdity to speak the truth indirectly and while maintaining plausible deniability."

The idea of this approach is three-fold, he explains.

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