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This resistance may not be broadcast, though it may feature amphibious toes and protruding eyes.

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

Whilst demonstrations opposing the administration carry on in US cities, participants are utilizing the energy of a neighborhood dress-up party. They have taught dance instruction, distributed snacks, and ridden unicycles, while police observe.

Mixing comedy and political action – an approach researchers refer to as "tactical frivolity" – isn't novel. However, it has emerged as a hallmark of American protest in recent years, adopted by all sides of the political spectrum.

A specific icon has risen to become notably significant – the frog. It originated after a video of a confrontation between a man in a frog suit and ICE agents in Portland, Oregon, became an internet sensation. From there, it proliferated to demonstrations throughout the United States.

"There's a lot going on with that little blow-up amphibian," states LM Bogad, who teaches at University of California, Davis and an academic who focuses on political performance.

The Path From Pepe to the Streets of Portland

It's challenging to examine demonstrations and amphibians without addressing Pepe, an illustrated figure adopted by online communities throughout a political race.

As the character initially spread on the internet, it was used to express certain emotions. Subsequently, it was deployed to express backing for a candidate, even a particular image endorsed by that figure himself, showing Pepe with recognizable attire and hairstyle.

The frog was also portrayed in right-wing online communities in offensive ways, portrayed as a historical dictator. Online conservatives traded "rare Pepes" and established cryptocurrency using its likeness. His catchphrase, "feels good, man", was deployed an inside joke.

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

The artist behind it, the illustrator, has been vocal about his disapproval for its co-option. His creation was meant as simply a "chill frog-dude" in this artist's universe.

The frog first appeared in comic strips in the mid-2000s – non-political and famous for a particular bathroom habit. A film, which chronicles the creator's attempt to reclaim ownership of his work, he said his drawing was inspired by his time with companions.

When he began, the artist experimented with sharing his art to early internet platforms, where other users began to copy, alter, and reinterpret his character. As Pepe spread into the more extreme corners of online spaces, the creator sought to reject his creation, even killing him off in a final panel.

However, its legacy continued.

"This demonstrates the lack of control over symbols," states the professor. "Their meaning can evolve and be repurposed."

For a long time, the popularity of this meme meant that amphibian imagery were largely associated with the right. A transformation occurred in early October, when a viral moment between an activist dressed in an inflatable frog costume and a federal agent in Portland went viral.

This incident came just days after an order to deploy the National Guard to the city, which was described as "war-ravaged". Protesters began to congregate at a specific location, near an ICE office.

The situation was tense and a officer used irritant at the individual, targeting the air intake fan of the costume.

The individual, the man in the costume, reacted humorously, remarking it tasted like "spicier tamales". Yet the footage became a sensation.

The frog suit fit right in for the city, renowned for its quirky culture and activist demonstrations that embrace the unusual – outdoor exercise, retro fitness classes, and unique parades. Its creed is "Embrace the Strange."

This symbol even played a role in the ensuing legal battle between the administration and Portland, which contended the deployment was unlawful.

Although a ruling was issued in October that the president was within its rights to send personnel, a minority opinion disagreed, noting in her opinion demonstrators' "known tendency for donning inflatable costumes while voicing their disagreement."

"Observers may be tempted the majority's ruling, which adopts the description of Portland as a war zone, as merely absurd," the dissenting judge stated. "Yet the outcome has serious implications."

The action was stopped legally subsequently, and troops are said to have left the city.

Yet already, the frog had transformed into a potent anti-administration symbol for the left.

The costume appeared in many cities at anti-authoritarian protests that fall. There were frogs – and unicorns and axolotls and dinosaurs – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They were in rural communities and global metropolises abroad.

This item was in high demand on online retailers, and became more expensive.

Mastering the Optics

What connects Pepe and the protest frog – lies in the relationship between the humorous, benign cartoon and serious intent. This concept is "tactical frivolity."

The tactic relies on what Mr Bogad calls a "disarming display" – often silly, it's a "disarming and charming" display that calls attention to your ideas without needing explicitly stating them. It's the goofy costume you wear, or the symbol circulated.

The professor is both an expert on this topic and someone who uses these tactics. He's written a book on the subject, and led seminars internationally.

"One can look back to the Middle Ages – under oppressive regimes, absurd humor is used to express dissent indirectly and still have plausible deniability."

The idea of such tactics is multi-faceted, Mr Bogad says.

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