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This resistance may not be televised, but it could have amphibious toes and protruding eyes.

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

Whilst rallies against the leadership continue in American cities, participants are adopting the energy of a local block party. They have taught salsa lessons, given away treats, and ridden unicycles, while officers watch.

Blending humour and politics – a tactic researchers term "tactical frivolity" – has historical precedent. However, it has emerged as a signature characteristic of American protest in this period, embraced by both left and right.

And one symbol has emerged as notably significant – the frog. It originated after a video of a clash between an individual in an inflatable frog and ICE agents in Portland, Oregon, went viral. And it has since spread to rallies nationwide.

"There's a lot going on with that humble frog costume," says a professor, who teaches at UC Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who studies political performance.

From a Cartoon Frog to the Streets of Portland

It's challenging to examine demonstrations and amphibians without mentioning Pepe, a web comic frog embraced by online communities during a previous presidential campaign.

When the meme first took off on the internet, its purpose was to convey certain emotions. Later, its use evolved to endorse a political figure, even a particular image retweeted by the candidate himself, depicting the frog with recognizable attire and hairstyle.

Pepe was also depicted in digital spaces in more extreme scenarios, as a hate group member. Online conservatives traded "unique frog images" and set up cryptocurrency in his name. Its famous line, "that feels good", was deployed a shared phrase.

Yet Pepe didn't start out this divisive.

Its creator, the illustrator, has expressed about his disapproval for its co-option. Pepe was supposed to be simply a relaxed amphibian in his series.

The frog debuted in an online comic in 2005 – non-political and famous for a particular bathroom habit. In 'Feels Good Man', which follows Mr Furie's efforts to wrest back control of his creation, he explained his drawing came from his life with companions.

Early in his career, the artist tried sharing his art to new websites, where people online began to borrow, remix and reinvent his character. As Pepe spread into darker parts of the internet, the creator tried to disavow the frog, including ending its life in a final panel.

Yet the frog persisted.

"It shows that we don't control symbols," explains Prof Bogad. "Their meaning can evolve and be reclaimed."

For a long time, the popularity of Pepe resulted in amphibian imagery became a symbol for the right. But that changed on a day in October, when a confrontation between an activist dressed in a blow-up amphibian suit and a federal agent in Portland captured global attention.

The event occurred shortly after a decision to deploy the National Guard to the city, which was described as "war-ravaged". Demonstrators began to assemble in large numbers outside a facility, just outside of an immigration enforcement facility.

Emotions ran high and an agent sprayed a chemical agent at the individual, directing it into the opening of the inflatable suit.

Seth Todd, the man in the costume, reacted humorously, saying it tasted like "spicier tamales". However, the video became a sensation.

Mr Todd's attire was not too unusual for Portland, known for its quirky culture and left-wing protests that revel in the absurd – outdoor exercise, retro fitness classes, and nude cycling groups. A local saying is "Embrace the Strange."

This symbol even played a role in a lawsuit between the administration and the city, which argued the use of troops overstepped authority.

Although a judge decided in October that the administration was within its rights to deploy troops, one judge dissented, noting in her opinion demonstrators' "propensity for donning inflatable costumes while voicing dissent."

"It is easy to see the court's opinion, which accepts the government's characterization as a war zone, as merely absurd," Judge Susan Graber stated. "Yet the outcome goes beyond absurdity."

The deployment was "permanently" blocked subsequently, and troops are said to have left the area.

But by then, the frog had transformed into a potent protest icon for the left.

The inflatable suit appeared in many cities at No Kings protests that fall. Amphibian costumes were present – and unicorns and axolotls and dinosaurs – in major US cities. They appeared in rural communities and big international cities like Tokyo and London.

The inflatable suit was sold out on major websites, and saw its cost increase.

Mastering the Optics

What connects the two amphibian symbols – is the relationship between the humorous, benign cartoon and serious intent. This is what "tactical frivolity."

The tactic rests on what Mr Bogad terms the "irresistible image" – frequently absurd, it's a "appealing and non-threatening" display that calls attention to your ideas without needing directly articulating them. It's the silly outfit used, or the meme you share.

Mr Bogad is an analyst in the subject and someone who uses these tactics. He authored a text on the subject, and led seminars around the world.

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

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

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