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

Additionally, it could include the horn of a unicorn or a chicken's feathers.

Whilst protests opposing the administration continue in US cities, protesters have embraced the vibe of a community costume parade. They have taught salsa lessons, given away treats, and performed on unicycles, as officers look on.

Mixing humour and politics – a tactic researchers refer to as "tactical frivolity" – has historical precedent. But it has become a defining feature of American protest in the current era, used by both left and right.

And one symbol has proven to be notably significant – the frog. It originated after video footage of an encounter between a man in an inflatable frog and immigration enforcement agents in the city of Portland, went viral. And it has since spread to protests nationwide.

"There is much happening with that small blow-up amphibian," notes LM Bogad, who teaches at University of California, Davis and an academic who studies creative activism.

From Pepe to the Streets of Portland

It's hard to discuss demonstrations and amphibians without addressing Pepe, a cartoon character adopted by extremist movements during a political race.

When the character initially spread online, it was used to convey specific feelings. Later, it was deployed to show support for a political figure, including one notable meme retweeted by the candidate personally, depicting Pepe with a signature suit and hair.

The frog was also portrayed in right-wing online communities in more extreme scenarios, as a hate group member. Users traded "rare Pepes" and set up cryptocurrency in his name. Its famous line, "that feels good", became an inside joke.

Yet Pepe didn't start out as a political symbol.

Its creator, the illustrator, has been vocal about his disapproval for its co-option. The character was intended as simply a "chill frog-dude" in this artist's universe.

Pepe first appeared in a series of comics in 2005 – apolitical and notable for a particular bathroom habit. A film, which follows Mr Furie's efforts to take back of his work, he stated his drawing came from his life with companions.

Early in his career, Mr Furie experimented with uploading his work to the nascent social web, where people online began to copy, alter, and reinterpret the frog. When the meme proliferated into fringe areas of the internet, the creator tried to disavow his creation, including ending its life in a final panel.

But Pepe lived on.

"It proves the lack of control over symbols," says the professor. "Their meaning can evolve and be reworked."

For a long time, the popularity of this meme resulted in amphibian imagery were predominantly linked to conservative politics. This shifted in early October, when a confrontation between an activist dressed in a blow-up amphibian suit and a federal agent in Portland captured global attention.

The moment followed a directive to send military personnel to the city, which was described as "a warzone". Demonstrators began to gather in droves on a single block, near an ICE office.

Tensions were high and an agent deployed a chemical agent at the individual, targeting the opening of the puffy frog costume.

The protester, Seth Todd, reacted humorously, saying it tasted like "spicier tamales". However, the video became a sensation.

The costume was somewhat typical for the city, famous for its quirky culture and left-wing protests that embrace the absurd – outdoor exercise, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and nude cycling groups. The city's unofficial motto is "Keep Portland Weird."

The frog was also referenced in a lawsuit between the federal government and the city, which argued the deployment was illegal.

While a ruling was issued in October that the president had the right to deploy troops, a minority opinion disagreed, referencing in her ruling the protesters' "propensity for wearing chicken suits when expressing dissent."

"Some might view the majority's ruling, which adopts the government's characterization as a battlefield, as simply ridiculous," the dissenting judge wrote. "However, this ruling is not merely absurd."

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

But by then, the frog had become a significant symbol of resistance for the left.

This symbol appeared nationwide at anti-authoritarian protests recently. Amphibian costumes were present – and unicorns and axolotls and dinosaurs – in major US cities. They were in small towns and big international cities abroad.

The inflatable suit was backordered on major websites, and became more expensive.

Shaping the Narrative

What brings the two amphibian symbols – lies in the relationship between the humorous, benign cartoon and underlying political significance. This concept is "tactical frivolity."

This approach rests on what Mr Bogad terms a "disarming display" – usually humorous, it's a "appealing and non-threatening" performance that highlights a cause without needing directly articulating them. This is the goofy costume you wear, or the meme you share.

The professor is both an expert in the subject and an experienced participant. He authored a text called 'Tactical Performance', and led seminars internationally.

"One can look back to historical periods – under oppressive regimes, they use absurdity to speak the truth a little bit and while maintaining a layer of protection."

The purpose of this approach is three-fold, he explains.

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