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The resistance may not be televised, yet it might possess amphibious toes and bulging eyes.

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

Whilst protests against the government persist in US cities, protesters have embraced the spirit of a community costume parade. They've provided dance instruction, distributed snacks, and ridden unicycles, while armed law enforcement watch.

Combining humour and political action – a strategy researchers term "tactical frivolity" – has historical precedent. However, it has emerged as a hallmark of American protest in recent years, used by both left and right.

One particular emblem has proven to be notably significant – the frog. It originated after a video of an encounter between a man in an amphibian costume and federal officers in the city of Portland, spread online. From there, it proliferated to demonstrations throughout the United States.

"There's a lot at play with that humble blow-up amphibian," states a professor, a professor at UC Davis and an academic who specialises in creative activism.

The Path From Pepe to Portland

It is difficult to talk about protests and frogs without talking about Pepe, a cartoon character embraced by online communities during a previous presidential campaign.

As the meme initially spread online, people used it to convey specific feelings. Later, its use evolved to show support for a candidate, including one notable meme shared by the candidate personally, showing Pepe with a signature suit and hair.

Images also circulated in certain internet forums in offensive ways, portrayed as a hate group member. Participants exchanged "unique frog images" and established digital currency using its likeness. Its famous line, "feels good, man", was deployed an inside joke.

However its beginnings were not so controversial.

Its creator, artist Matt Furie, has been vocal about his unhappiness for its co-option. The character was intended as simply a relaxed amphibian in his comic world.

This character debuted in a series of comics in 2005 – non-political and best known for a particular bathroom habit. In 'Feels Good Man', which documents Mr Furie's efforts to take back of his work, he said the character came from his time with companions.

As he started out, Mr Furie tried sharing his art to the nascent social web, where people online began to borrow, remix and reinvent his character. As its popularity grew into darker parts of online spaces, the creator attempted to distance himself from his creation, even killing him off in a comic strip.

Yet the frog persisted.

"This demonstrates that creators cannot own imagery," states the professor. "They transform and be repurposed."

Previously, the notoriety of Pepe meant that amphibian imagery were predominantly linked to conservative politics. A transformation occurred in early October, when an incident between an activist dressed in a blow-up amphibian suit and a federal agent in Portland spread rapidly online.

The moment followed a decision to send military personnel to the city, which was described as "a warzone". Protesters began to gather in droves on a single block, just outside of a federal building.

Tensions were high and an immigration officer sprayed a chemical agent at a protester, directing it into the ventilation of the inflatable suit.

The protester, Seth Todd, quipped, remarking it tasted like "spicier tamales". But the incident spread everywhere.

Mr Todd's attire was not too unusual for Portland, famous for its eccentric vibe and activist demonstrations that delight in the unusual – outdoor exercise, retro fitness classes, and unique parades. Its creed is "Keep Portland Weird."

The costume became part of in a lawsuit between the administration and the city, which argued the deployment overstepped authority.

Although a ruling was issued in October that the administration was within its rights to send personnel, one judge dissented, referencing in her ruling demonstrators' "propensity for donning inflatable costumes while voicing dissent."

"Observers may be tempted the majority's ruling, which accepts the government's characterization as a battlefield, as simply ridiculous," she opined. "However, this ruling is not merely absurd."

The deployment was halted by courts soon after, and troops are said to have left the city.

But by then, the frog was now a powerful symbol of resistance for the left.

The inflatable suit was seen across the country at No Kings protests that fall. There were frogs – along with other creatures – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They appeared in small towns and big international cities like Tokyo and London.

The inflatable suit was in high demand on online retailers, and rose in price.

Mastering the Narrative

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

This approach is based on what the professor terms a "disarming display" – frequently absurd, it acts as a "disarming and charming" performance that calls attention to your ideas without obviously explaining them. This is the unusual prop you wear, or the symbol you share.

The professor is both an expert on this topic and someone who uses these tactics. He authored a text called 'Tactical Performance', and taught workshops around the world.

"You could go back to historical periods – when people are dominated, they use absurdity to speak the truth a little bit and still have a layer of protection."

The theory of this approach is multi-faceted, he explains.

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