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The resistance may not be televised, but it could have webbed feet and large eyes.

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

While demonstrations opposing the leadership persist in American cities, demonstrators have embraced the vibe of a community costume parade. They have taught dance instruction, handed out snacks, and ridden unicycles, as police look on.

Combining humour and political action – a strategy experts refer to as "tactical frivolity" – has historical precedent. But it has become a signature characteristic of American protest in this period, used by both left and right.

One particular emblem has proven to be especially powerful – the frog. It started after a video of a confrontation between a man in a frog suit and federal officers in the city of Portland, went viral. It subsequently appeared to rallies across the country.

"There's a lot at play with that humble blow-up amphibian," says an expert, who teaches at University of California, Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who specialises in political performance.

From a Cartoon Frog to Portland

It's challenging to examine demonstrations and amphibians without mentioning Pepe, a web comic frog co-opted by far-right groups throughout a previous presidential campaign.

As the meme gained popularity on the internet, its purpose was to convey certain emotions. Subsequently, its use evolved to show support for a candidate, including one notable meme endorsed by the candidate himself, depicting Pepe with a signature suit and hair.

The frog was also portrayed in digital spaces in more extreme scenarios, portrayed as a historical dictator. Online conservatives traded "unique frog images" and set up cryptocurrency using its likeness. His catchphrase, "that feels good", was used an inside joke.

However its beginnings were not as a political symbol.

The artist behind it, artist Matt Furie, has been vocal about his disapproval for its appropriation. His creation was meant as simply an apolitical figure in this artist's universe.

This character debuted in an online comic in 2005 – apolitical and notable for a particular bathroom habit. In 'Feels Good Man', which follows the creator's attempt to reclaim ownership of his creation, he said his drawing came from his life with companions.

As he started out, the artist tried sharing his art to new websites, where the community began to copy, alter, and reinterpret the frog. As Pepe spread into darker parts of the internet, Mr Furie tried to disavow the frog, even killing him off in a comic strip.

Yet the frog persisted.

"This demonstrates that creators cannot own symbols," says the professor. "Their meaning can evolve and be reclaimed."

Previously, the association of this meme resulted in amphibian imagery were predominantly linked to conservative politics. This shifted in early October, when a viral moment between a protestor dressed in an inflatable frog costume and a federal agent in Portland captured global attention.

The moment occurred shortly after a decision to send military personnel to the city, which was called "war-ravaged". Demonstrators began to gather in droves at a specific location, just outside of an ICE office.

Emotions ran high and a officer deployed a chemical agent at a protester, aiming directly into the ventilation of the puffy frog costume.

The individual, Seth Todd, responded with a joke, stating it tasted like "spicier tamales". Yet the footage spread everywhere.

The costume fit right in for Portland, renowned for its unconventional spirit and activist demonstrations that delight in the absurd – public yoga, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and unique parades. Its creed is "Keep Portland Weird."

The frog was also referenced in subsequent court proceedings between the federal government and Portland, which claimed the use of troops was illegal.

Although a ruling was issued in October that the administration was within its rights to deploy troops, a dissenting judge wrote, noting in her opinion the protesters' "propensity for donning inflatable costumes while voicing opposition."

"It is easy to see the majority's ruling, which accepts the government's characterization as a battlefield, as merely absurd," the dissenting judge wrote. "But today's decision is not merely absurd."

The order was stopped legally soon after, and troops have reportedly departed the city.

But by then, the frog was now a potent protest icon for progressive movements.

The costume was spotted in many cities at anti-authoritarian protests that fall. Amphibian costumes were present – along with other creatures – in major US cities. They appeared in small towns and big international cities abroad.

This item was backordered on major websites, and became more expensive.

Controlling the Narrative

What brings Pepe and the protest frog – lies in the relationship between the silly, innocent image and serious intent. This concept is "tactical frivolity."

The strategy is based on what Mr Bogad terms the "irresistible image" – usually humorous, it acts as a "appealing and non-threatening" performance that draws focus to a cause without needing directly articulating them. This is the goofy costume you wear, or the symbol you share.

Mr Bogad is both an expert on this topic and a veteran practitioner. He authored a text on the subject, and led seminars internationally.

"One can look back to the Middle Ages – under oppressive regimes, they use absurdity to speak the truth a little bit and still have plausible deniability."

The idea of such tactics is multi-faceted, Mr Bogad says.

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