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The resistance won't be televised, but it could have webbed feet and bulging eyes.

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

While rallies opposing the government continue in American cities, protesters are utilizing the spirit of a local block party. They have taught dance instruction, handed out snacks, and performed on unicycles, as officers watch.

Mixing levity and politics – a strategy social scientists refer to as "tactical frivolity" – isn't novel. However, it has emerged as a signature characteristic of US demonstrations in this period, adopted by various groups.

And one symbol has proven to be particularly salient – the frog. It began when video footage of an encounter between a man in an amphibian costume and ICE agents in the city of Portland, became an internet sensation. From there, it proliferated to protests nationwide.

"There is much at play with that small frog costume," says a professor, a professor at UC Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who studies political performance.

From a Cartoon Frog to the Streets of Portland

It's challenging to talk about protests and frogs without talking about Pepe, an illustrated figure embraced by online communities throughout an election cycle.

As the meme initially spread on the internet, people used it to express certain emotions. Afterwards, its use evolved to endorse a candidate, including a particular image retweeted by that figure himself, portraying the frog with recognizable attire and hairstyle.

Pepe was also depicted in certain internet forums in darker contexts, portrayed as a historical dictator. Users exchanged "unique frog images" and set up digital currency in his name. His catchphrase, "that feels good", was used a coded signal.

But Pepe didn't start out so controversial.

Its creator, the illustrator, has stated about his distaste for its appropriation. Pepe was supposed to be simply an apolitical figure in his series.

This character debuted in an online comic 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 said his drawing came from his time with companions.

As he started out, Mr Furie tried uploading his work to the nascent social web, where the community began to borrow, remix and reinvent his character. As its popularity grew into the more extreme corners of online spaces, Mr Furie attempted to distance himself from the frog, including ending its life in a final panel.

Yet the frog persisted.

"It shows the lack of control over icons," states Prof Bogad. "They can change and shift and be reworked."

Until recently, the association of this meme meant that frogs were largely associated with the right. This shifted on a day in October, when an incident between an activist wearing an inflatable frog costume and a federal agent in Portland captured global attention.

The event occurred shortly after an order to send the National Guard to the city, which was called "war-ravaged". Demonstrators began to gather in droves at a specific location, just outside of an immigration enforcement facility.

Tensions were high and a officer deployed irritant at the individual, aiming directly into the ventilation of the costume.

The individual, the man in the costume, reacted humorously, stating it tasted like "spicier tamales". But the incident spread everywhere.

The costume was somewhat typical for Portland, known for its unconventional spirit and activist demonstrations that delight in the ridiculous – outdoor exercise, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and nude cycling groups. The city's unofficial motto is "Keep Portland Weird."

This symbol even played a role in subsequent court proceedings between the administration and Portland, which argued the deployment was illegal.

Although a ruling was issued in October that the administration was within its rights to send personnel, a minority opinion disagreed, referencing in her ruling demonstrators' "well-known penchant for donning inflatable costumes while voicing their disagreement."

"It is easy to see this decision, which adopts the description of Portland as a war zone, as simply ridiculous," she wrote. "But today's decision is not merely absurd."

The action was halted by courts just a month later, and personnel have reportedly departed the area.

Yet already, the amphibian costume was now a powerful anti-administration symbol for progressive movements.

This symbol appeared in many cities at anti-authoritarian protests recently. Frogs appeared – along with other creatures – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They were in small towns and big international cities like Tokyo and London.

The inflatable suit was in high demand on major websites, and became more expensive.

Mastering the Visual Story

The link between both frogs together – lies in the dynamic between the silly, innocent image and underlying political significance. This concept is "tactical frivolity."

The tactic rests on what the professor calls a "disarming display" – often silly, it's a "appealing and non-threatening" performance that calls attention to your ideas without needing directly articulating them. This is the goofy costume you wear, or the meme circulated.

Mr Bogad is an analyst on this topic and a veteran practitioner. He's written a book on the subject, and led seminars around the world.

"You could go back to the Middle Ages – under oppressive regimes, absurd humor is used to speak the truth indirectly and while maintaining plausible deniability."

The purpose of such tactics is three-fold, Mr Bogad says.

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