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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 the plumage of a chicken.

As demonstrations opposing the administration persist in American cities, protesters are adopting the spirit of a community costume parade. They've offered salsa lessons, given away treats, and performed on unicycles, as armed law enforcement look on.

Mixing humour and political action – a strategy social scientists term "tactical frivolity" – isn't novel. But it has become a defining feature of US demonstrations in the current era, adopted by various groups.

And one symbol has emerged as notably significant – the frog. It started when video footage of a confrontation between an individual in an amphibian costume and immigration enforcement agents in Portland, Oregon, spread online. It subsequently appeared to protests nationwide.

"A great deal at play with that humble blow-up amphibian," notes LM Bogad, a professor at UC Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who focuses on political performance.

The Path From the Pepe Meme to Portland

It's challenging to examine demonstrations and amphibians without mentioning Pepe, a cartoon character co-opted by extremist movements throughout a previous presidential campaign.

Initially, when this image gained popularity on the internet, it was used to convey specific feelings. Later, it was deployed to endorse a political figure, even one notable meme retweeted by the candidate himself, showing Pepe with a signature suit and hair.

The frog was also portrayed in right-wing online communities in offensive ways, portrayed as a hate group member. Online conservatives traded "rare Pepes" and established cryptocurrency in his name. His catchphrase, "that feels good", was deployed an inside joke.

But Pepe didn't start out as a political symbol.

The artist behind it, the illustrator, has expressed about his distaste for how the image has been used. The character was intended as simply a "chill frog-dude" in his series.

The frog debuted in comic strips in the mid-2000s – non-political and notable for a particular bathroom habit. A film, which documents the creator's attempt to take back of his creation, he stated the character was inspired by his experiences with friends and roommates.

As he started out, the artist experimented with uploading his work to new websites, where other users began to copy, alter, and reinterpret the frog. When the meme proliferated into the more extreme corners of online spaces, the creator sought to reject the frog, including ending its life in a comic strip.

Yet the frog persisted.

"This demonstrates the lack of control over icons," states the professor. "They can change and shift and be reworked."

Previously, the popularity of Pepe meant that frogs were predominantly linked to the right. A transformation occurred in early October, when a confrontation between an activist wearing an inflatable frog costume and a federal agent in Portland went viral.

This incident followed a directive to send military personnel to the city, which was described as "war-ravaged". Activists began to assemble in large numbers on a single block, near an immigration enforcement facility.

The situation was tense and an immigration officer used pepper spray at a protester, aiming directly into the opening of the inflatable suit.

The individual, the man in the costume, reacted humorously, stating it tasted like "spicier tamales". However, the video spread everywhere.

Mr Todd's attire was somewhat typical for the city, famous for its quirky culture and activist demonstrations that delight in the absurd – outdoor exercise, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and unique parades. A local saying is "Embrace the Strange."

The frog was also referenced in subsequent court proceedings between the federal government and Portland, which claimed the deployment was illegal.

Although a ruling was issued in October that the president had the right to deploy troops, a minority opinion disagreed, noting in her opinion demonstrators' "propensity for using unusual attire while voicing their disagreement."

"Observers may be tempted the majority's ruling, which accepts the government's characterization as a battlefield, as simply ridiculous," the dissenting judge opined. "Yet the outcome has serious implications."

The order was "permanently" blocked soon after, and troops withdrew from the area.

However, by that time, the frog had become a potent symbol of resistance for the left.

The costume was seen in many cities at anti-authoritarian protests that fall. Amphibian costumes were present – and unicorns and axolotls and dinosaurs – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They appeared in small towns and big international cities like Tokyo and London.

The frog costume was in high demand on online retailers, and became more expensive.

Mastering the Narrative

What connects the two amphibian symbols – lies in the relationship between the humorous, benign cartoon and underlying political significance. Experts call this "tactical frivolity."

The tactic rests on what Mr Bogad calls a "disarming display" – often silly, it acts as a "disarming and charming" display that draws focus to a message without needing obviously explaining them. This is the goofy costume you wear, or the symbol you share.

Mr Bogad is both an expert in the subject and an experienced participant. He authored a text called 'Tactical Performance', and led seminars around the world.

"You could go back to historical periods – under oppressive regimes, absurd humor is used to speak the truth indirectly and while maintaining a layer of protection."

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

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