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This resistance isn't broadcast, yet it might possess amphibious toes and protruding eyes.

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

As rallies opposing the administration carry on in US cities, participants have embraced the spirit of a community costume parade. They've provided dance instruction, distributed snacks, and ridden unicycles, while officers observe.

Mixing comedy and political action – a strategy experts term "tactical frivolity" – is not new. However, it has emerged as a hallmark of US demonstrations in the current era, adopted by both left and right.

One particular emblem has risen to become notably significant – the frog. It began when recordings of an encounter between an individual in an inflatable frog and immigration enforcement agents in the city of Portland, became an internet sensation. From there, it proliferated to rallies throughout the United States.

"There is much at play with that small inflatable frog," notes an expert, who teaches at University of California, Davis and an academic who focuses on political performance.

From a Cartoon Frog to the Streets of Portland

It's challenging to discuss protests and frogs without addressing Pepe, a web comic frog adopted by far-right groups throughout an election cycle.

As the character gained popularity on the internet, it was used to signal certain emotions. Subsequently, it was deployed to endorse a candidate, even a particular image shared by the candidate himself, portraying Pepe with recognizable attire and hairstyle.

Pepe was also depicted in digital spaces in more extreme scenarios, portrayed as a hate group member. Participants exchanged "unique frog images" and established digital currency in his name. Its famous line, "that feels good", was deployed a shared phrase.

But the character did not originate so controversial.

Matt Furie, artist Matt Furie, has expressed about his disapproval for its co-option. His creation was meant as simply a relaxed amphibian in this artist's universe.

Pepe first appeared in comic strips 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 creation, he stated the character was inspired by his life with friends and roommates.

As he started out, the artist tried uploading his work to the nascent social web, where the community began to borrow, remix and reinvent his character. As Pepe spread into fringe areas of the internet, Mr Furie tried to disavow the frog, including ending its life in a comic strip.

However, its legacy continued.

"It shows that creators cannot own imagery," states the professor. "They transform and be repurposed."

Previously, the association of this meme resulted in frogs became a symbol for conservative politics. A transformation occurred recently, when a viral moment between an activist dressed in a blow-up amphibian suit and a federal agent in Portland spread rapidly online.

The moment occurred shortly after a directive to deploy military personnel to Portland, which was called "war-ravaged". Protesters began to assemble in large numbers outside a facility, just outside of an immigration enforcement facility.

Emotions ran high and an immigration officer deployed irritant at a protester, targeting the ventilation of the inflatable suit.

Seth Todd, the man in the costume, reacted humorously, saying he had tasted "something milder". Yet the footage spread everywhere.

Mr Todd's attire fit right in for the city, renowned for its eccentric vibe and left-wing protests that embrace the unusual – outdoor exercise, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and nude cycling groups. Its creed is "Embrace the Strange."

The frog was also referenced in the ensuing legal battle between the administration and the city, which claimed the use of troops was unlawful.

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

"Observers may be tempted the court's opinion, which accepts the description of Portland as a battlefield, as simply ridiculous," Judge Susan Graber opined. "Yet the outcome has serious implications."

The action was stopped legally just a month later, and troops have reportedly departed the city.

Yet already, the frog had become a powerful anti-administration symbol for the left.

The costume was spotted across the country at anti-authoritarian protests recently. There were frogs – along with other creatures – in major US cities. They were in small towns and big international cities like Tokyo and London.

The frog costume was backordered on online retailers, and rose in price.

Controlling the Optics

The link between Pepe and the protest frog – lies in the relationship between the humorous, benign cartoon and underlying political significance. Experts call this "tactical frivolity."

The strategy relies on what the professor calls the "irresistible image" – often silly, it's a "disarming and charming" performance that draws focus to your ideas without needing obviously explaining them. This is the goofy costume used, or the meme circulated.

Mr Bogad is an analyst on this topic and a veteran practitioner. He's written a text on the subject, and led seminars internationally.

"You could go back to the Middle Ages – when people are dominated, absurd humor is used to speak the truth a little bit and while maintaining a layer of protection."

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

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