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

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

As protests opposing the administration persist in US cities, demonstrators are utilizing the spirit of a local block party. They've offered salsa lessons, given away treats, and performed on unicycles, as police look on.

Blending humour and politics – a strategy social scientists refer to as "tactical frivolity" – is not new. However, it has emerged as a defining feature of protests in the United States in this period, adopted by both left and right.

And one symbol has risen to become particularly salient – the frog. It originated after recordings of an encounter between an individual in a frog suit and ICE agents in Portland, Oregon, went viral. And it has since spread to rallies across the country.

"There's a lot at play with that humble frog costume," states an expert, who teaches at University of California, Davis and an academic who studies performance art.

The Path From a Cartoon Frog to Portland

It's challenging to discuss protests and frogs without mentioning Pepe, an illustrated figure co-opted by online communities during an election cycle.

As the character gained popularity online, its purpose was to express certain emotions. Later, it was deployed to express backing for a candidate, even a particular image endorsed by the candidate himself, depicting Pepe with a signature suit and hair.

The frog was also portrayed in right-wing online communities in more extreme scenarios, portrayed as a historical dictator. Online conservatives traded "rare Pepes" and set up cryptocurrency using its likeness. Its famous line, "feels good, man", was deployed an inside joke.

Yet Pepe didn't start out this divisive.

Its creator, artist Matt Furie, has been vocal about his unhappiness for how the image has been used. His creation was meant as simply an apolitical figure in his series.

This character first appeared in an online comic in the mid-2000s – non-political and best known for a particular bathroom habit. In a documentary, which documents Mr Furie's efforts to wrest back control of his work, he explained his drawing came from his experiences with companions.

When he began, the artist tried uploading his work to the nascent social web, where other users began to borrow, remix and reinvent the frog. As its popularity grew into darker parts of online spaces, Mr Furie tried to disavow his creation, even killing him off in a comic strip.

However, its legacy continued.

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

Until recently, the association of this meme meant that frogs became a symbol for the right. A transformation occurred in early October, when a confrontation between a protestor wearing a blow-up amphibian suit and a federal agent in Portland went viral.

The event occurred shortly after a decision to deploy military personnel to the city, which was called "a warzone". Demonstrators began to congregate on a single block, just outside of a federal building.

Emotions ran high and an immigration officer sprayed irritant at a protester, directing it into the ventilation of the inflatable suit.

The individual, Seth Todd, reacted humorously, saying it tasted like "spicier tamales". However, the video spread everywhere.

Mr Todd's attire was not too unusual for the city, known for its eccentric vibe and activist demonstrations that delight in the absurd – public yoga, retro fitness classes, and nude cycling groups. A local saying is "Keep Portland Weird."

The frog became part of in the ensuing legal battle between the federal government and the city, which claimed the use of troops was unlawful.

While a ruling was issued that month that the president was within its rights to deploy troops, a dissenting judge wrote, referencing in her ruling the protesters' "well-known penchant for using unusual attire while voicing opposition."

"Some might view the majority's ruling, which accepts the description of Portland as a war zone, as merely absurd," she wrote. "But today's decision has serious implications."

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

However, by that time, the amphibian costume had transformed into a significant symbol of resistance for progressive movements.

The costume was spotted in many cities at No Kings protests last autumn. Frogs appeared – along with other creatures – in major US cities. They were in small towns and big international cities like Tokyo and London.

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

Shaping the Narrative

What connects both frogs together – is the interplay between the humorous, benign cartoon and serious intent. This concept is "tactical frivolity."

The strategy is based on what Mr Bogad terms the "irresistible image" – usually humorous, it's a "disarming and charming" act that draws focus to a cause without explicitly stating them. It's the goofy costume used, or the meme you share.

The professor is an analyst on this topic and a veteran practitioner. He's written a book on the subject, and taught workshops internationally.

"You could go back to historical periods – when people are dominated, absurd humor is used to express dissent a little bit and while maintaining plausible deniability."

The purpose of this approach is three-fold, Mr Bogad explains.

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