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

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

While protests against the administration continue in American cities, protesters have embraced the spirit of a local block party. They've offered dance instruction, distributed snacks, and performed on unicycles, as armed law enforcement look on.

Combining levity and politics – a tactic researchers call "tactical frivolity" – isn't novel. However, it has emerged as a signature characteristic of protests in the United States in the current era, used by all sides of the political spectrum.

And one symbol has proven to be notably significant – the frog. It originated after video footage of a clash between a protester in a frog suit and federal officers in Portland, Oregon, spread online. And it has since spread to protests nationwide.

"A great deal going on with that humble frog costume," says an expert, a professor at University of California, Davis and an academic who focuses on performance art.

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 during a previous presidential campaign.

Initially, when this image initially spread on the internet, people used it to convey certain emotions. Later, it was deployed to express backing for a political figure, even a particular image endorsed by the candidate himself, portraying the frog with recognizable attire and hairstyle.

Pepe was also depicted in certain internet forums in darker contexts, as a hate group member. Participants exchanged "unique frog images" and set up cryptocurrency using its likeness. Its famous line, "feels good, man", was used a shared phrase.

However its beginnings were not so controversial.

Its creator, the illustrator, has stated about his distaste for its appropriation. His creation was meant as simply an apolitical figure in his series.

The frog debuted in comic strips in 2005 – non-political and famous for a particular bathroom habit. In 'Feels Good Man', which chronicles the creator's attempt to take back of his creation, he explained his drawing came from his time with friends and roommates.

As he started out, Mr Furie experimented with uploading his work to early internet platforms, where people online began to borrow, remix and reinvent his character. As Pepe spread into fringe areas of online spaces, the creator attempted to distance himself from the frog, even killing him off in a final panel.

However, its legacy continued.

"It proves that we don't control imagery," explains Prof Bogad. "They can change and shift and be reworked."

For a long time, the association of this meme meant that frogs were predominantly linked to conservative politics. But that changed on a day in October, when an incident between an activist dressed in a blow-up amphibian suit and an immigration officer in Portland, Oregon captured global attention.

This incident came just days after an order to deploy the National Guard to the city, which was called "a warzone". Demonstrators began to assemble in large numbers at a specific location, near an ICE office.

Tensions were high and a officer sprayed pepper spray at a protester, targeting the air intake fan of the inflatable suit.

Seth Todd, the man in the costume, reacted humorously, saying he had tasted "spicier tamales". But the incident spread everywhere.

The frog suit was somewhat typical for Portland, famous for its quirky culture and left-wing protests that delight in the absurd – public yoga, retro fitness classes, and nude cycling groups. A local saying is "Keep Portland Weird."

The costume was also referenced in subsequent court proceedings between the administration and Portland, which argued the use of troops overstepped authority.

Although a ruling was issued that month that the president had the right to send personnel, a dissenting judge wrote, noting in her opinion the protesters' "well-known penchant for wearing chicken suits while voicing opposition."

"It is easy to see the majority's ruling, which adopts the government's characterization as a battlefield, as merely absurd," the dissenting judge opined. "However, this ruling goes beyond absurdity."

The action was halted by courts just a month later, and troops are said to have left the city.

However, by that time, the frog had transformed into a powerful protest icon for the left.

This symbol appeared across the country at No Kings protests recently. Amphibian costumes were present – along with other creatures – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They were in rural communities and global metropolises like Tokyo and London.

This item was sold out on major websites, and saw its cost increase.

Controlling the Optics

What connects both frogs together – is the dynamic between the humorous, benign cartoon and serious intent. Experts call this "tactical frivolity."

The tactic relies on what Mr Bogad terms the "irresistible image" – frequently absurd, it acts as a "disarming and charming" performance that draws focus to a cause without needing directly articulating them. This is the goofy costume used, or the symbol circulated.

Mr Bogad is an analyst in the subject and someone who uses these tactics. He's written a book on the subject, and taught workshops internationally.

"You could go back to historical periods – when people are dominated, they use absurdity to express dissent indirectly and while maintaining plausible deniability."

The theory of this approach is multi-faceted, Mr Bogad says.

As protesters take on a powerful opposition, humorous attire {takes control of|seizes|influences