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This resistance won't be televised, though it may feature webbed feet and protruding eyes.

It also might feature the horn of a unicorn or the plumage of a chicken.

While rallies opposing the government persist in American cities, demonstrators are utilizing the energy of a community costume parade. They have taught dance instruction, handed out snacks, and ridden unicycles, as police observe.

Mixing levity and politics – an approach experts refer to as "tactical frivolity" – has historical precedent. However, it has emerged as a hallmark of American protest in recent years, embraced by both left and right.

And one symbol has emerged as particularly salient – the frog. It began when a video of a clash between a protester in a frog suit and ICE agents in Portland, Oregon, spread online. And it has since spread to demonstrations across the country.

"A great deal happening with that humble frog costume," says LM Bogad, a professor at UC Davis and an academic who focuses on creative activism.

The Path From the Pepe Meme to the Streets of Portland

It's challenging to discuss demonstrations and amphibians without mentioning Pepe, an illustrated figure embraced by far-right groups throughout an election cycle.

Initially, when this image gained popularity online, its purpose was to express specific feelings. Later, its use evolved to express backing for a political figure, even a particular image retweeted by that figure personally, depicting the frog with a signature suit and hair.

Images also circulated in digital spaces in offensive ways, as a historical dictator. Participants traded "rare Pepes" and set up cryptocurrency in his name. His catchphrase, "feels good, man", was used a shared phrase.

But its beginnings were not this divisive.

The artist behind it, the illustrator, has expressed about his disapproval for its appropriation. The character was intended as simply a relaxed amphibian in his comic world.

Pepe debuted in an online comic in the mid-2000s – non-political and best known for a quirky behavior. In 'Feels Good Man', which documents Mr Furie's efforts to reclaim ownership of his work, he stated his drawing came from his life with companions.

Early in his career, Mr Furie tried uploading his work to the nascent social web, where the community began to copy, alter, and reinterpret his character. As Pepe spread into darker parts of online spaces, Mr Furie tried to disavow the frog, including ending its life in a final panel.

However, its legacy continued.

"This demonstrates the lack of control over imagery," says Prof Bogad. "Their meaning can evolve and be reworked."

Until recently, the popularity of Pepe meant that frogs became a symbol for the right. This shifted in early October, when a viral moment between an activist dressed in a blow-up amphibian suit and an immigration officer in Portland spread rapidly online.

This incident occurred shortly after a decision to deploy military personnel to the city, which was called "war-ravaged". Demonstrators began to congregate at a specific location, just outside of an immigration enforcement facility.

The situation was tense and a officer deployed a chemical agent at the individual, aiming directly into the air intake fan of the costume.

The protester, Seth Todd, responded with a joke, remarking he had tasted "spicier tamales". However, the video became a sensation.

Mr Todd's attire fit right in for Portland, known for its quirky culture and activist demonstrations that delight in the ridiculous – outdoor exercise, retro fitness classes, and nude cycling groups. Its creed is "Keep Portland Weird."

The costume became part of in subsequent court proceedings between the federal government and Portland, which contended the deployment was unlawful.

While a ruling was issued in October that the president was within its rights to deploy troops, a minority opinion disagreed, noting in her opinion the protesters' "known tendency for using unusual attire while voicing their disagreement."

"Observers may be tempted this decision, which accepts the government's characterization as a battlefield, as simply ridiculous," the dissenting judge opined. "But today's decision is not merely absurd."

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

However, by that time, the frog had become a potent symbol of resistance for the left.

The inflatable suit was spotted nationwide at No Kings protests that fall. There were frogs – and unicorns and axolotls and dinosaurs – in major US cities. They appeared in rural communities and big international cities like Tokyo and London.

The frog costume was backordered on online retailers, and saw its cost increase.

Shaping the Optics

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

This approach relies on what Mr Bogad calls a "disarming display" – usually humorous, it acts as a "disarming and charming" display that draws focus to your ideas without needing obviously explaining them. This is the goofy costume used, or the meme you share.

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

"One can look back to historical periods – under oppressive regimes, they use absurdity to speak the truth a little bit and while maintaining a layer of protection."

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

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