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

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

While demonstrations against the leadership persist in US cities, demonstrators are utilizing the energy of a community costume parade. They've offered salsa lessons, given away treats, and performed on unicycles, as police watch.

Combining humour and politics – an approach experts term "tactical frivolity" – is not new. However, it has emerged as a signature characteristic of US demonstrations in recent years, used by various groups.

And one symbol has proven to be especially powerful – the frog. It began after recordings of a clash between a man in a frog suit and federal officers in the city of Portland, became an internet sensation. From there, it proliferated to protests across the country.

"There's a lot at play with that small blow-up amphibian," notes a professor, who teaches at University of California, Davis and an academic who specialises in creative activism.

The Path From Pepe to the Streets of Portland

It's hard to examine demonstrations and amphibians without mentioning Pepe, a cartoon character co-opted by far-right groups throughout a political race.

As the character first took off online, people used it to express specific feelings. Subsequently, it was utilized to show support for a candidate, even one notable meme retweeted by the candidate personally, showing Pepe with a signature suit and hair.

Images also circulated in right-wing online communities in more extreme scenarios, portrayed as a hate group member. Users traded "rare Pepes" and set up digital currency in his name. His catchphrase, "that feels good", became a coded signal.

But the character did not originate as a political symbol.

Matt Furie, artist Matt Furie, has expressed about his unhappiness for its co-option. His creation was meant as simply a "chill frog-dude" in his comic world.

Pepe debuted in a series of comics in the mid-2000s – apolitical and famous for a particular bathroom habit. A film, which documents Mr Furie's efforts to reclaim ownership of his work, he said his drawing came from his life with companions.

When he began, the artist tried uploading his work to new websites, where people online began to borrow, remix and reinvent his character. When the meme proliferated into darker parts of online spaces, Mr Furie attempted to distance himself from his creation, including ending its life in a final panel.

Yet the frog persisted.

"It shows that we don't control imagery," says the professor. "They can change and shift and be reclaimed."

For a long time, the notoriety of this meme meant that amphibian imagery became a symbol for conservative politics. A transformation occurred recently, when an incident between an activist wearing an inflatable frog costume and an immigration officer in Portland, Oregon captured global attention.

The event occurred shortly after a decision to deploy military personnel to Portland, which was called "war-ravaged". Activists began to gather in droves on a single block, just outside of an ICE office.

Tensions were high and an agent sprayed a chemical agent at a protester, directing it into the ventilation of the costume.

Seth Todd, Seth Todd, responded with a joke, stating he had tasted "spicier tamales". But the incident spread everywhere.

Mr Todd's attire was not too unusual for Portland, known for its unconventional spirit and activist demonstrations that revel in the unusual – public yoga, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and unique parades. The city's unofficial motto is "Keep Portland Weird."

This symbol was also referenced in the ensuing legal battle between the federal government and the city, which contended the use of troops was illegal.

While a ruling was issued in October that the president was within its rights to send personnel, a minority opinion disagreed, noting in her opinion the protesters' "propensity for using unusual attire when expressing their disagreement."

"It is easy to see the majority's ruling, which accepts the government's characterization as a battlefield, as merely absurd," Judge Susan Graber stated. "However, this ruling has serious implications."

The order was "permanently" blocked subsequently, and troops have reportedly departed the city.

Yet already, the frog had become a powerful anti-administration symbol for the left.

The costume was seen in many cities at anti-authoritarian protests last autumn. There were frogs – along with other creatures – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They were in small towns and big international cities abroad.

The inflatable suit was sold out on major websites, and rose in price.

Mastering the Narrative

What connects Pepe and the protest frog – is the relationship between the humorous, benign cartoon and serious intent. This concept is "tactical frivolity."

The tactic is based on what the professor calls the "irresistible image" – usually humorous, it acts as a "appealing and non-threatening" performance that draws focus to a message without needing obviously explaining them. This is the unusual prop you wear, or the symbol circulated.

The professor is both an expert on this topic and an experienced participant. He authored a book called 'Tactical Performance', and taught workshops around the world.

"One can look back to the Middle Ages – when people are dominated, absurd humor is used to speak the truth a little bit and still have plausible deniability."

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

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