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The resistance won't be broadcast, though it may feature webbed feet and large eyes.

Furthermore, it may involve the horn of a unicorn or a chicken's feathers.

While protests opposing the leadership carry on in American cities, protesters are adopting the vibe of a neighborhood dress-up party. They have taught salsa lessons, given away snacks, and performed on unicycles, while officers observe.

Combining comedy and political action – a tactic researchers term "tactical frivolity" – has historical precedent. However, it has emerged as a hallmark of protests in the United States in this period, embraced by all sides of the political spectrum.

A specific icon has proven to be particularly salient – the frog. It began when video footage of a confrontation between a protester in an amphibian costume and ICE agents in Portland, Oregon, became an internet sensation. And it has since spread to rallies throughout the United States.

"A great deal happening with that small blow-up amphibian," says a professor, a professor at University of California, Davis and an academic who specialises in creative activism.

The Path From a Cartoon Frog to Portland

It's hard to talk about protests and frogs without addressing Pepe, a cartoon character embraced by extremist movements throughout a political race.

Initially, when the character gained popularity online, it was used to express specific feelings. Afterwards, it was deployed to express backing for a political figure, even a particular image retweeted by the candidate himself, depicting the frog with recognizable attire and hairstyle.

Images also circulated in right-wing online communities in more extreme scenarios, portrayed as a hate group member. Online conservatives traded "unique frog images" and established digital currency in his name. Its famous line, "feels good, man", became an inside joke.

Yet its beginnings were not so controversial.

Its creator, artist Matt Furie, has expressed about his unhappiness for its appropriation. The character was intended as simply a relaxed amphibian in this artist's universe.

This character debuted in a series of comics in the mid-2000s – apolitical and notable for a particular bathroom habit. In a documentary, which follows the creator's attempt to wrest back control of his creation, he explained his drawing came from his experiences with companions.

When he began, Mr Furie tried sharing his art to the nascent social web, where other users began to borrow, remix and reinvent the frog. When the meme proliferated into the more extreme corners of the internet, Mr Furie sought to reject the frog, even killing him off in a final panel.

However, its legacy continued.

"It proves that we don't control imagery," explains the professor. "Their meaning can evolve and be repurposed."

Previously, the popularity of Pepe meant that amphibian imagery were predominantly linked to conservative politics. But that changed in early October, when a viral moment between an activist wearing a blow-up amphibian suit and an immigration officer in Portland, Oregon spread rapidly online.

The moment came just days after an order to send military personnel to Portland, which was described as "war-ravaged". Demonstrators began to assemble in large numbers on a single block, near an ICE office.

The situation was tense and a officer used pepper spray at a protester, targeting the ventilation of the inflatable suit.

The protester, the man in the costume, reacted humorously, stating he had tasted "spicier tamales". But the incident became a sensation.

Mr Todd's attire fit right in for Portland, known for its quirky culture and left-wing protests that embrace the unusual – outdoor exercise, retro fitness classes, and nude cycling groups. The city's unofficial motto is "Keep Portland Weird."

This symbol was also referenced in a lawsuit between the administration and the city, which argued the deployment overstepped authority.

While a judge decided in October that the president had the right to deploy troops, a dissenting judge wrote, mentioning the protesters' "well-known penchant for using unusual attire while voicing their disagreement."

"It is easy to see the majority's ruling, which adopts the description of Portland as a war zone, as merely absurd," she wrote. "But today's decision has serious implications."

The order was stopped legally just a month later, and troops withdrew from the area.

Yet already, the frog was now a potent symbol of resistance for progressive movements.

This symbol appeared in many cities at No Kings protests that fall. Frogs appeared – along with other creatures – in major US cities. They were in small towns and global metropolises abroad.

The inflatable suit was sold out on major websites, and rose in price.

Shaping the Visual Story

What brings the two amphibian symbols – is the relationship between the silly, innocent image and underlying political significance. This concept is "tactical frivolity."

The tactic rests on what Mr Bogad terms a "disarming display" – frequently absurd, it acts as a "disarming and charming" act that highlights your ideas without directly articulating them. It's the unusual prop you wear, or the symbol circulated.

Mr Bogad is both an expert in the subject and a veteran practitioner. He's written a text on the subject, and taught workshops around the world.

"One can look back to the Middle Ages – when people are dominated, they use absurdity to speak the truth a little bit and while maintaining plausible deniability."

The purpose of such tactics is three-fold, he explains.

As activists take on the state, a silly costume {takes control of|seizes|influences