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

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

Whilst rallies against the leadership carry on in US cities, participants are utilizing the energy of a community costume parade. They've provided dance instruction, handed out snacks, and ridden unicycles, as officers look on.

Blending humour and political action – a tactic researchers call "tactical frivolity" – is not new. However, it has emerged as a hallmark of US demonstrations in recent years, adopted by all sides of the political spectrum.

A specific icon has risen to become notably significant – the frog. It started when a video of an encounter between a man in an inflatable frog and ICE agents in Portland, Oregon, spread online. It subsequently appeared to demonstrations throughout the United States.

"There is much going on with that small frog costume," notes a professor, who teaches at UC Davis and an academic who studies creative activism.

The Path From the Pepe Meme to Portland

It's challenging to examine demonstrations and amphibians without mentioning Pepe, a web comic frog adopted by online communities during a previous presidential campaign.

When this image initially spread on the internet, it was used to express certain emotions. Subsequently, its use evolved to show support for a candidate, even a particular image retweeted by that figure personally, portraying the frog with a signature suit and hair.

Pepe was also depicted in right-wing online communities in more extreme scenarios, as a hate group member. Users exchanged "rare Pepes" and established digital currency in his name. His catchphrase, "that feels good", was used a coded signal.

But its beginnings were not as a political symbol.

The artist behind it, artist Matt Furie, has expressed about his distaste for its co-option. His creation was meant as simply an apolitical figure in his series.

This character first appeared in an online comic in the mid-2000s – non-political and best known for a particular bathroom habit. In 'Feels Good Man', which chronicles the creator's attempt to wrest back control of his work, he said his drawing came from his life with companions.

When he began, Mr Furie tried uploading his work to new websites, where other users began to copy, alter, and reinterpret the frog. As its popularity grew into fringe areas of the internet, the creator tried to disavow the frog, even killing him off in a final panel.

Yet the frog persisted.

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

Until recently, the notoriety of Pepe resulted in frogs were largely associated with the right. A transformation occurred in early October, when a viral moment between a protestor wearing an inflatable frog costume and a federal agent in Portland spread rapidly online.

This incident occurred shortly after an order to deploy the National Guard to Portland, which was described as "war-ravaged". Demonstrators began to gather in droves outside a facility, just outside of an immigration enforcement facility.

Emotions ran high and an agent used irritant at the individual, targeting the air intake fan of the inflatable suit.

The protester, Seth Todd, quipped, stating he had tasted "spicier tamales". Yet the footage became a sensation.

The costume fit right in for the city, famous for its quirky culture and activist demonstrations that delight in the unusual – outdoor exercise, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and unique parades. Its creed is "Keep Portland Weird."

The frog even played a role in the ensuing legal battle between the administration and the city, which contended the deployment overstepped authority.

While a judge decided in October that the administration was within its rights to send personnel, a dissenting judge wrote, referencing in her ruling demonstrators' "propensity for using unusual attire while voicing dissent."

"Observers may be tempted this decision, which accepts the description of Portland as a war zone, as simply ridiculous," Judge Susan Graber stated. "Yet the outcome goes beyond absurdity."

The deployment was halted by courts just a month later, and troops have reportedly departed the city.

However, by that time, the frog had transformed into a potent anti-administration symbol for progressive movements.

This symbol was seen nationwide at anti-authoritarian protests recently. There were frogs – and unicorns and axolotls and dinosaurs – in major US cities. They were in rural communities and big international cities abroad.

The frog costume was backordered on major websites, and became more expensive.

Controlling the Optics

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

This approach is based on what the professor terms the "irresistible image" – usually humorous, it acts as a "disarming and charming" performance that draws focus to a cause without needing obviously explaining them. It's the silly outfit used, or the meme circulated.

The professor is both an expert in the subject and a veteran practitioner. He authored a text called 'Tactical Performance', and taught workshops around the world.

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

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

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