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This resistance won't be televised, though it may feature amphibious toes and large eyes.

It also might feature a unicorn's horn or a chicken's feathers.

As demonstrations opposing the government persist in US cities, participants are utilizing the spirit of a community costume parade. They have taught salsa lessons, distributed snacks, and ridden unicycles, as armed law enforcement observe.

Mixing comedy and political action – a strategy experts refer to as "tactical frivolity" – isn't novel. Yet it has transformed into a hallmark of protests in the United States in recent years, embraced by various groups.

And one symbol has emerged as particularly salient – the frog. It began after video footage of an encounter between a protester in a frog suit and federal officers in the city of Portland, became an internet sensation. It subsequently appeared to protests nationwide.

"A great deal going on with that small frog costume," states an expert, a professor at UC Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who specialises in political performance.

The Path From a Cartoon Frog to the Streets of Portland

It's challenging to examine protests and frogs without talking about Pepe, an illustrated figure co-opted by online communities throughout an election cycle.

As the meme gained popularity online, its purpose was to convey certain emotions. Later, it was utilized to endorse a political figure, including one notable meme endorsed by the candidate himself, depicting Pepe with a signature suit and hair.

Pepe was also depicted in certain internet forums in more extreme scenarios, as a historical dictator. Users traded "unique frog images" and established cryptocurrency using its likeness. Its famous line, "feels good, man", became a shared phrase.

But the character did not originate this divisive.

Matt Furie, the illustrator, has expressed about his disapproval for how the image has been used. The character was intended as simply a "chill frog-dude" in this artist's universe.

This character debuted in a series of comics in 2005 – apolitical and famous for a quirky behavior. In a documentary, which follows the creator's attempt to take back of his work, he said the character was inspired by his time with friends and roommates.

Early in his career, 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 fringe areas of online spaces, Mr Furie attempted to distance himself from the frog, even killing him off in a final panel.

Yet the frog persisted.

"This demonstrates that creators cannot own imagery," states the professor. "Their meaning can evolve and be repurposed."

Until recently, the notoriety of this meme resulted in amphibian imagery were predominantly linked to the right. A transformation occurred on a day in October, when a viral moment between a protestor dressed in a blow-up amphibian suit and a federal agent in Portland went viral.

This incident occurred shortly after an order to send the National Guard to the city, which was called "war-ravaged". Activists began to gather in droves outside a facility, near a federal building.

Emotions ran high and an immigration officer used pepper spray at a protester, directing it into the opening of the puffy frog costume.

The protester, Seth Todd, reacted humorously, stating he had tasted "spicier tamales". Yet the footage went viral.

The frog suit fit right in for Portland, renowned for its quirky culture and left-wing protests that embrace the absurd – public yoga, retro fitness classes, and nude cycling groups. The city's unofficial motto is "Embrace the Strange."

The costume even played a role in the ensuing legal battle between the federal government and the city, which argued the use of troops was unlawful.

Although a judge decided that month that the president had the right to deploy troops, a dissenting judge wrote, mentioning the protesters' "well-known penchant for donning inflatable costumes while voicing opposition."

"Some might view this decision, which adopts the description of Portland as a war zone, as merely absurd," the dissenting judge stated. "However, this ruling goes beyond absurdity."

The order was halted by courts soon after, and personnel have reportedly departed the area.

Yet already, the amphibian costume was now a powerful symbol of resistance for progressive movements.

This symbol was spotted in many cities at No Kings protests recently. There were frogs – and unicorns and axolotls and dinosaurs – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They were in small towns and global metropolises like Tokyo and London.

The inflatable suit was backordered on online retailers, and became more expensive.

Controlling the Narrative

What connects Pepe and the protest frog – is the dynamic between the humorous, benign cartoon and a deeper political meaning. This is what "tactical frivolity."

The strategy rests on what Mr Bogad terms a "disarming display" – usually humorous, it's a "disarming and charming" display that highlights your ideas without obviously explaining them. This is the goofy costume you wear, or the symbol circulated.

Mr Bogad is an analyst in the subject and an experienced participant. He authored a book on the subject, and led seminars internationally.

"One can look back to the Middle Ages – when people are dominated, they use absurdity to express dissent a little bit and still have a layer of protection."

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

As activists confront a powerful opposition, a silly costume {takes control of|seizes|influences