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The resistance may not be broadcast, though it may feature webbed feet and bulging eyes.

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

As protests against the government carry on in American cities, demonstrators are adopting the vibe of a local block party. They have taught dance instruction, distributed snacks, and performed on unicycles, while officers watch.

Mixing comedy and political action – an approach experts term "tactical frivolity" – is not new. However, it has emerged as a signature characteristic of US demonstrations in this period, adopted by all sides of the political spectrum.

And one symbol has risen to become especially powerful – the frog. It originated after a video of an encounter between an individual in an amphibian costume and ICE agents in Portland, Oregon, spread online. And it has since spread to demonstrations nationwide.

"There is much happening with that little inflatable frog," notes a professor, a professor at UC Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who specialises in political performance.

The Path From Pepe to the Streets of Portland

It's hard to examine protests and frogs without addressing Pepe, a web comic frog embraced by far-right groups during an election cycle.

Initially, when the character gained popularity on the internet, it was used to express specific feelings. Afterwards, it was utilized to endorse a candidate, even a particular image retweeted by that figure himself, showing the frog with a signature suit and hair.

Pepe was also depicted in right-wing online communities in more extreme scenarios, as a hate group member. Participants exchanged "rare Pepes" and set up digital currency using its likeness. His catchphrase, "feels good, man", was deployed a coded signal.

Yet Pepe didn't start out this divisive.

Matt Furie, artist Matt Furie, has been vocal about his unhappiness for its appropriation. Pepe was supposed to be simply a relaxed amphibian in his series.

This character debuted in an online comic in 2005 – non-political and notable for a particular bathroom habit. A film, which follows Mr Furie's efforts to reclaim ownership of his work, he explained the character came from his life with friends and roommates.

When he began, Mr Furie tried uploading his work to the nascent social web, where other users began to borrow, remix and reinvent his character. When the meme proliferated into darker parts of online spaces, Mr Furie tried to disavow the frog, even killing him off in a final panel.

But Pepe lived on.

"It shows that creators cannot own imagery," explains Prof Bogad. "They transform and be repurposed."

Previously, the notoriety of this meme resulted in frogs became a symbol for conservative politics. But that changed in early October, when a confrontation between a protestor dressed in a blow-up amphibian suit and a federal agent in Portland, Oregon spread rapidly online.

This incident occurred shortly after a directive to send the National Guard to the city, which was called "a warzone". Activists began to gather in droves outside a facility, near an immigration enforcement facility.

The situation was tense and an immigration officer deployed irritant at the individual, aiming directly into the ventilation of the costume.

The protester, the man in the costume, quipped, saying it tasted like "spicier tamales". Yet the footage spread everywhere.

The frog suit was somewhat typical for the city, known for its quirky culture and activist demonstrations that delight in the unusual – outdoor exercise, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and unique parades. A local saying is "Embrace the Strange."

The costume was also referenced in the ensuing legal battle between the federal government and Portland, which argued the use of troops overstepped authority.

While the court ruled that month that the administration was within its rights to deploy troops, a minority opinion disagreed, referencing in her ruling demonstrators' "propensity for wearing chicken suits while voicing their disagreement."

"Observers may be tempted the court's opinion, which accepts the government's characterization as a war zone, as merely absurd," the dissenting judge opined. "Yet the outcome has serious implications."

The action was "permanently" blocked soon after, and personnel withdrew from the area.

However, by that time, the frog had become a powerful anti-administration symbol for the left.

This symbol was spotted across the country at No Kings protests recently. Amphibian costumes were present – 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 saw its cost increase.

Shaping the Narrative

What brings Pepe and the protest frog – is the relationship between the silly, innocent image and serious intent. This is what "tactical frivolity."

The tactic rests on what Mr Bogad terms a "disarming display" – frequently absurd, it acts as a "disarming and charming" display that calls attention to a cause without needing directly articulating them. It's the silly outfit you wear, or the symbol you share.

Mr Bogad is both an expert in the subject and an experienced participant. He's written a text called 'Tactical Performance', and taught workshops around the world.

"One can look 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 such tactics is multi-faceted, he says.

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