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The resistance won't be broadcast, but it could have amphibious toes and bulging eyes.

Additionally, it could include the horn of a unicorn or the plumage of a chicken.

As rallies opposing the leadership continue in American cities, participants are utilizing the energy of a community costume parade. They have taught salsa lessons, distributed treats, and ridden unicycles, while police observe.

Combining humour and politics – a tactic experts call "tactical frivolity" – has historical precedent. But it has become a defining feature of American protest in the current era, used by various groups.

And one symbol has emerged as particularly salient – the frog. It began when recordings of an encounter between a man in a frog suit and ICE agents in the city of Portland, went viral. From there, it proliferated to protests throughout the United States.

"There's a lot going on with that small blow-up amphibian," says an expert, a professor at UC Davis and an academic who focuses on political performance.

From a Cartoon Frog to the Streets of Portland

It's challenging to talk about demonstrations and amphibians without addressing Pepe, a cartoon character embraced by far-right groups throughout a previous presidential campaign.

Initially, when this image gained popularity on the internet, it was used to express certain emotions. Afterwards, it was deployed to express backing for a political figure, even a particular image endorsed by that figure himself, depicting Pepe with a signature suit and hair.

Images also circulated 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", became an inside joke.

Yet its beginnings were not so controversial.

The artist behind it, the illustrator, has stated about his disapproval for its co-option. His creation was meant as simply an apolitical figure in this artist's universe.

This character debuted in an online comic in the mid-2000s – non-political and best known for a particular bathroom habit. A film, which documents the creator's attempt to reclaim ownership of his work, he stated the character came from his life with companions.

When he began, Mr Furie tried sharing his art to new websites, where people online began to copy, alter, and reinterpret his character. When the meme proliferated into darker parts of online spaces, the creator attempted to distance himself from the frog, including ending its life in a comic strip.

But Pepe lived on.

"It proves that we don't control imagery," says the professor. "They transform and be reclaimed."

Until recently, the popularity of this meme meant that frogs were largely associated with conservative politics. But that changed in early October, when a confrontation between a protestor dressed in an inflatable frog costume and an immigration officer in Portland spread rapidly online.

The moment followed an order to send military personnel to Portland, which was called "war-ravaged". Protesters began to congregate on a single block, just outside of an ICE office.

Tensions were high and an immigration officer deployed a chemical agent at the individual, targeting the opening of the costume.

The protester, the man in the costume, responded with a joke, stating it tasted like "spicier tamales". Yet the footage became a sensation.

Mr Todd's attire fit right in for Portland, famous for its eccentric vibe and left-wing protests that revel in the unusual – public yoga, retro fitness classes, and nude cycling groups. Its creed is "Keep Portland Weird."

This symbol even played a role in a lawsuit between the federal government and Portland, which argued the use of troops overstepped authority.

While a judge decided that month that the president had the right to deploy troops, a dissenting judge wrote, referencing in her ruling demonstrators' "known tendency for donning inflatable costumes while voicing dissent."

"Some might view the court's opinion, which adopts the government's characterization as a war zone, as simply ridiculous," she opined. "Yet the outcome has serious implications."

The order was halted by courts subsequently, and troops are said to have left the city.

However, by that time, the frog was now a potent protest icon for progressive movements.

This symbol appeared across the country at anti-authoritarian protests last autumn. Frogs appeared – and unicorns and axolotls and dinosaurs – in major US cities. They were in small towns and big international cities abroad.

This item was sold out on major websites, and rose in price.

Mastering the Narrative

What brings Pepe and the protest frog – lies in the relationship between the humorous, benign cartoon and serious intent. Experts call this "tactical frivolity."

The strategy is based on what Mr Bogad calls the "irresistible image" – usually humorous, it's a "disarming and charming" performance that highlights a cause without directly articulating them. It's the goofy costume you wear, or the meme circulated.

Mr Bogad is both an expert on this topic and an experienced participant. He's written a book on the subject, and taught workshops internationally.

"One can look back to the Middle Ages – under oppressive regimes, they use absurdity to speak the truth a little bit and still have a layer of protection."

The theory of such tactics is three-fold, Mr Bogad explains.

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