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This resistance may not be broadcast, but it could have amphibious toes and protruding eyes.

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

While rallies against the government continue in US cities, protesters are utilizing the vibe of a local block party. They've provided salsa lessons, handed out treats, and performed on unicycles, while armed law enforcement observe.

Blending humour and political action – an approach researchers call "tactical frivolity" – is not new. However, it has emerged as a defining feature of protests in the United States in recent years, used by both left and right.

A specific icon has proven to be especially powerful – the frog. It originated when video footage of a confrontation between a protester in an amphibian costume and immigration enforcement agents in the city of Portland, went viral. From there, it proliferated to rallies nationwide.

"A great deal at play with that humble frog costume," notes LM Bogad, a professor at UC Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who studies creative activism.

From the Pepe Meme to Portland

It's challenging to discuss protests and frogs without mentioning Pepe, an illustrated figure adopted by online communities during a political race.

Initially, when this image gained popularity online, it was used to convey specific feelings. Afterwards, it was deployed to express backing for a candidate, including a particular image endorsed by the candidate personally, depicting Pepe with recognizable attire and hairstyle.

The frog was also portrayed in digital spaces in more extreme scenarios, portrayed as a hate group member. Online conservatives traded "unique frog images" and set up digital currency in his name. His catchphrase, "that feels good", became an inside joke.

Yet Pepe didn't start out as a political symbol.

The artist behind it, the illustrator, has been vocal about his distaste for its appropriation. His creation was meant as simply an apolitical figure in his comic world.

The frog first appeared in comic strips in 2005 – apolitical and best known for a particular bathroom habit. A film, which follows Mr Furie's efforts to wrest back control of his work, he explained his drawing was inspired by his time with friends and roommates.

When he began, the artist experimented with sharing his art to the nascent social web, where other users began to copy, alter, and reinterpret his character. When the meme proliferated into fringe areas of online spaces, Mr Furie attempted to distance himself from his creation, including ending its life in a comic strip.

Yet the frog persisted.

"This demonstrates that creators cannot own symbols," states the professor. "Their meaning can evolve and be repurposed."

Until recently, the notoriety of this meme meant that frogs were predominantly linked to conservative politics. A transformation occurred recently, when a confrontation between a protestor wearing an inflatable frog costume and a federal agent in Portland, Oregon captured global attention.

This incident occurred shortly after a decision to send the National Guard to Portland, which was called "a warzone". Activists began to gather in droves on a single block, near a federal building.

Tensions were high and an agent deployed a chemical agent at the individual, directing it into the ventilation of the costume.

The individual, Seth Todd, reacted humorously, remarking he had tasted "something milder". But the incident spread everywhere.

The costume was somewhat typical for Portland, famous for its eccentric vibe and left-wing protests that embrace the absurd – outdoor exercise, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and nude cycling groups. A local saying is "Keep Portland Weird."

The frog even played a role in a lawsuit between the federal government and Portland, which contended the use of troops was illegal.

While the court ruled in October that the president was within its rights to send personnel, a minority opinion disagreed, noting in her opinion the protesters' "propensity for wearing chicken suits while voicing their disagreement."

"Observers may be tempted the court's opinion, which accepts the description of Portland as a war zone, as simply ridiculous," she wrote. "But today's decision has serious implications."

The action was "permanently" blocked just a month later, and personnel withdrew from the city.

But by then, the frog had become a potent anti-administration symbol for progressive movements.

The inflatable suit was seen across the country at No Kings protests last autumn. There were frogs – 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 online retailers, and rose in price.

Controlling the Narrative

The link between Pepe and the protest frog – is the dynamic between the silly, innocent image and a deeper political meaning. This is what "tactical frivolity."

This approach is based on what Mr Bogad calls a "disarming display" – usually humorous, it's a "appealing and non-threatening" performance that highlights your ideas without explicitly stating them. This is the silly outfit you wear, or the symbol you share.

Mr Bogad is an analyst on this topic and an experienced participant. He authored a text on the subject, and taught workshops around the world.

"One can look back to historical periods – when people are dominated, they use absurdity to speak the truth indirectly and while maintaining plausible deniability."

The idea of this approach is multi-faceted, he says.

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