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

Additionally, it could include the horn of a unicorn or a chicken's feathers.

As rallies against the leadership carry on in US cities, protesters are utilizing the spirit of a local block party. They have taught dance instruction, handed out treats, and performed on unicycles, as armed law enforcement observe.

Mixing comedy and politics – a strategy social scientists call "tactical frivolity" – isn't novel. But it has become a signature characteristic of US demonstrations in recent years, embraced by various groups.

And one symbol has emerged as especially powerful – the frog. It started after recordings of a confrontation between an individual in an amphibian costume and immigration enforcement agents in Portland, Oregon, spread online. And it has since spread to protests across the country.

"A great deal happening with that humble blow-up amphibian," states a professor, who teaches at UC Davis and an academic who focuses on political performance.

The Path From Pepe to the Streets of Portland

It's challenging to discuss protests and frogs without addressing Pepe, a web comic frog co-opted by extremist movements throughout an election cycle.

As the meme first took off online, it was used to signal specific feelings. Subsequently, it was utilized to endorse a political figure, even a particular image retweeted by the candidate personally, portraying Pepe with a signature suit and hair.

Pepe was also depicted in certain internet forums in more extreme scenarios, portrayed as a hate group member. Participants exchanged "unique frog images" and set up cryptocurrency using its likeness. His catchphrase, "feels good, man", was deployed an inside joke.

But its beginnings were not so controversial.

Its creator, the illustrator, has expressed about his disapproval for how the image has been used. The character was intended as simply a relaxed amphibian in this artist's universe.

This character debuted in a series of comics in the mid-2000s – non-political and best known for a quirky behavior. In a documentary, which follows Mr Furie's efforts to take back of his work, he stated his drawing came from his time with friends and roommates.

When he began, the artist tried sharing his art to the nascent social web, where the community began to copy, alter, and reinterpret the frog. As its popularity grew into the more extreme corners of the internet, Mr Furie tried to disavow the frog, even killing him off in a comic strip.

However, its legacy continued.

"It proves that creators cannot own symbols," says the professor. "Their meaning can evolve and be reclaimed."

Until recently, the notoriety of this meme resulted in amphibian imagery were largely associated with the right. But that changed in early October, when a confrontation between an activist wearing a blow-up amphibian suit and an immigration officer in Portland, Oregon spread rapidly online.

The moment occurred shortly after an order to deploy the National Guard to Portland, which was called "a warzone". Activists began to congregate at a specific location, just outside of an immigration enforcement facility.

The situation was tense and an immigration officer used a chemical agent at a protester, targeting the air intake fan of the puffy frog costume.

The individual, Seth Todd, quipped, stating he had tasted "spicier tamales". Yet the footage went viral.

The costume was not too unusual for the city, famous for its eccentric vibe and left-wing protests that revel in the unusual – outdoor exercise, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and unique parades. A local saying is "Keep Portland Weird."

The costume was also referenced in the ensuing legal battle between the administration and Portland, which claimed the deployment was illegal.

Although a judge decided in October that the administration was within its rights to deploy troops, one judge dissented, noting in her opinion the protesters' "propensity for donning inflatable costumes while voicing dissent."

"Some might view the majority's ruling, which accepts the government's characterization as a war zone, as merely absurd," the dissenting judge stated. "But today's decision is not merely absurd."

The deployment was halted by courts soon after, and troops withdrew from the area.

However, by that time, the frog was now a significant protest icon for progressive movements.

The inflatable suit was spotted in many cities at anti-authoritarian protests recently. Amphibian costumes were present – and unicorns and axolotls and dinosaurs – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They appeared in rural communities and big international cities like Tokyo and London.

This item was in high demand on major websites, and became more expensive.

Shaping the Visual Story

What brings the two amphibian symbols – is the relationship between the silly, innocent image and underlying political significance. Experts call this "tactical frivolity."

The strategy is based on what Mr Bogad calls the "irresistible image" – often silly, it acts as a "disarming and charming" display that calls attention to a cause without needing directly articulating them. It's the unusual prop you wear, or the meme you share.

Mr Bogad is an analyst on this topic and someone who uses these tactics. He's written a text on the subject, and taught workshops around the world.

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

The purpose of this approach is three-fold, he says.

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