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

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

While protests opposing the leadership persist in US cities, demonstrators are adopting the vibe of a local block party. They've offered salsa lessons, given away treats, and ridden unicycles, as officers look on.

Combining comedy and politics – a tactic social scientists refer to as "tactical frivolity" – has historical precedent. However, it has emerged as a defining feature of protests in the United States in recent years, embraced by all sides of the political spectrum.

A specific icon has proven to be particularly salient – the frog. It started after video footage of an encounter between an individual in an amphibian costume and immigration enforcement agents in the city of Portland, became an internet sensation. And it has since spread to rallies across the country.

"A great deal at play with that small inflatable frog," notes LM Bogad, a professor at UC Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who studies performance art.

The Path From the Pepe Meme to the Streets of Portland

It is difficult to discuss protests and frogs without talking about Pepe, a cartoon character embraced by extremist movements throughout an election cycle.

As the character gained popularity online, people used it to signal certain emotions. Afterwards, it was utilized to express backing for a political figure, including one notable meme shared by the candidate personally, showing Pepe with a signature suit and hair.

Images also circulated in certain internet forums in darker contexts, as a hate group member. Online conservatives traded "unique frog images" and set up cryptocurrency using its likeness. His catchphrase, "feels good, man", was deployed an inside joke.

Yet its beginnings were not this divisive.

Its creator, the illustrator, has expressed about his distaste for how the image has been used. Pepe was supposed to be simply an apolitical figure in his series.

Pepe debuted in comic strips in 2005 – apolitical and notable for a quirky behavior. A film, which chronicles Mr Furie's efforts to take back of his work, he stated his drawing came from his experiences with friends and roommates.

When he began, the artist tried sharing his art to new websites, where other users began to borrow, remix and reinvent the frog. As Pepe spread into the more extreme corners of the internet, the creator sought to reject his creation, including ending its life in a final panel.

But Pepe lived on.

"It shows that we don't control symbols," states the professor. "They can change and shift and be repurposed."

Until recently, the notoriety of this meme meant that amphibian imagery became a symbol for conservative politics. But that changed in early October, when an incident between an activist dressed in an inflatable frog costume and an immigration officer in Portland, Oregon spread rapidly online.

The event occurred shortly after a decision to deploy the National Guard to the city, which was called "war-ravaged". Protesters began to congregate at a specific location, just outside of a federal building.

The situation was tense and an immigration officer used irritant at the individual, aiming directly into the ventilation of the costume.

Seth Todd, the man in the costume, quipped, saying it tasted like "something milder". Yet the footage spread everywhere.

The frog suit fit right in for Portland, known for its unconventional spirit and activist demonstrations that revel in the absurd – outdoor exercise, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and unique parades. A local saying is "Keep Portland Weird."

The frog was also referenced in subsequent court proceedings between the federal government and Portland, which contended the deployment overstepped authority.

Although a ruling was issued in October that the president was within its rights to send personnel, a minority opinion disagreed, referencing in her ruling the protesters' "propensity for wearing chicken suits when expressing dissent."

"Observers may be tempted this decision, which accepts the description of Portland as a battlefield, as simply ridiculous," Judge Susan Graber opined. "However, this ruling is not merely absurd."

The order was stopped legally soon after, and troops are said to have left the area.

But by then, the amphibian costume had transformed into a significant symbol of resistance for progressive movements.

This symbol was seen across the country at No Kings protests last autumn. Frogs appeared – along with other creatures – in major US cities. They were in rural communities and global metropolises like Tokyo and London.

The inflatable suit was sold out on major websites, and became more expensive.

Shaping the Narrative

The link between the two amphibian symbols – is the relationship between the silly, innocent image and serious intent. This is what "tactical frivolity."

The strategy relies on what Mr Bogad terms the "irresistible image" – frequently absurd, it acts as a "appealing and non-threatening" act that calls attention to a cause without explicitly stating them. This is the goofy costume you wear, or the meme you share.

Mr Bogad is both an expert on this topic and someone who uses these tactics. He's written a text called 'Tactical Performance', and led seminars internationally.

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

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

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