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The resistance may not be broadcast, but it could have webbed feet and protruding eyes.

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

While demonstrations against the government continue in American cities, demonstrators are adopting the energy of a neighborhood dress-up party. They have taught dance instruction, handed out treats, and ridden unicycles, while officers observe.

Combining comedy and political action – a tactic researchers call "tactical frivolity" – is not new. Yet it has transformed into a hallmark of protests in the United States in this period, adopted by all sides of the political spectrum.

And one symbol has emerged as particularly salient – the frog. It began after a video of an encounter between a man in a frog suit and federal officers in the city of Portland, went viral. From there, it proliferated to demonstrations nationwide.

"A great deal at play with that small blow-up amphibian," notes LM Bogad, who teaches at University of California, Davis and an academic who studies performance art.

From a Cartoon Frog to Portland

It's challenging to examine demonstrations and amphibians without talking about Pepe, an illustrated figure embraced by extremist movements throughout an election cycle.

When this image initially spread online, it was used to signal specific feelings. Later, its use evolved to express backing for a political figure, even one notable meme retweeted by that figure personally, portraying Pepe with recognizable attire and hairstyle.

Images also circulated in digital spaces in offensive ways, as a hate group member. Online conservatives traded "unique frog images" and established cryptocurrency in his name. His catchphrase, "feels good, man", was used a shared phrase.

But its beginnings were not as a political symbol.

Matt Furie, the illustrator, has stated about his disapproval for its co-option. Pepe was supposed to be simply an apolitical figure in his series.

The frog first appeared in a series of comics in 2005 – non-political and best known for a particular bathroom habit. In a documentary, which documents the creator's attempt to reclaim ownership of his creation, he said his drawing came from his experiences with friends and roommates.

As he started out, Mr Furie experimented with sharing his art to the nascent social web, where people online began to borrow, remix and reinvent the frog. When the meme proliferated into darker parts of online spaces, Mr Furie sought to reject the frog, including ending its life in a comic strip.

However, its legacy continued.

"This demonstrates the lack of control over imagery," states Prof Bogad. "They transform and be reclaimed."

Previously, the association of this meme meant that frogs were largely associated with the right. This shifted recently, when a confrontation between a protestor wearing a blow-up amphibian suit and a federal agent in Portland, Oregon spread rapidly online.

The moment occurred shortly after an order to send the National Guard to Portland, which was described as "a warzone". Protesters began to assemble in large numbers on a single block, near an ICE office.

Tensions were high and an agent used a chemical agent at a protester, directing it into the opening of the inflatable suit.

The protester, Seth Todd, quipped, stating it tasted like "something milder". However, the video became a sensation.

Mr Todd's attire was not too unusual for the city, famous for its eccentric vibe and left-wing protests that embrace the absurd – public yoga, retro fitness classes, and nude cycling groups. The city's unofficial motto is "Embrace the Strange."

This symbol was also referenced in the ensuing legal battle between the administration and Portland, which argued the use of troops overstepped authority.

Although the court ruled that month that the administration was within its rights to deploy troops, one judge dissented, mentioning the protesters' "well-known penchant for using unusual attire while voicing dissent."

"It is easy to see the court's opinion, which accepts the description of Portland as a war zone, as merely absurd," the dissenting judge stated. "However, this ruling is not merely absurd."

The action was stopped legally subsequently, and personnel are said to have left the area.

But by then, the amphibian costume had transformed into a significant anti-administration symbol for progressive movements.

The costume was spotted in many cities at No Kings protests last autumn. There were frogs – along with other creatures – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They were in small towns and global metropolises like Tokyo and London.

The frog costume was sold out on major websites, and rose in price.

Controlling the Visual Story

What connects both frogs together – is the dynamic between the silly, innocent image and underlying political significance. This is what "tactical frivolity."

The tactic is based on what the professor terms the "irresistible image" – frequently absurd, it acts as a "disarming and charming" act that highlights your ideas without needing directly articulating them. It's the silly outfit used, or the symbol circulated.

The professor is an analyst in the subject and someone who uses these tactics. He authored a book on the subject, and led seminars internationally.

"You could go back to the Middle Ages – under oppressive regimes, they use absurdity to speak the truth indirectly and while maintaining a layer of protection."

The idea of this approach is three-fold, Mr Bogad explains.

When activists confront a powerful opposition, a silly costume {takes control of|seizes|influences