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The resistance may not be broadcast, but it could have amphibious toes and large eyes.

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

Whilst demonstrations against the administration continue in American cities, participants have embraced the spirit of a neighborhood dress-up party. They've offered dance instruction, handed out snacks, and ridden unicycles, as officers watch.

Combining levity and political action – a tactic experts call "tactical frivolity" – is not new. But it has become a signature characteristic of protests in the United States in the current era, used by various groups.

And one symbol has proven to be notably significant – the frog. It originated when video footage of an encounter between a man in a frog suit and ICE agents in the city of Portland, became an internet sensation. And it has since spread to protests throughout the United States.

"There is much going on with that small frog costume," notes a professor, who teaches at UC Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who studies creative activism.

From the Pepe Meme to Portland

It's challenging to talk about protests and frogs without talking about Pepe, a web comic frog adopted by online communities throughout a political race.

As the meme first took off on the internet, it was used to signal certain emotions. Afterwards, it was deployed to express backing for a political figure, even one notable meme shared by that figure personally, depicting the frog with recognizable attire and hairstyle.

Pepe was also depicted in digital spaces in darker contexts, portrayed as a hate group member. Users traded "unique frog images" and established cryptocurrency in his name. Its famous line, "that feels good", was deployed a coded signal.

But Pepe didn't start out this divisive.

The artist behind it, the illustrator, has expressed about his disapproval for its appropriation. Pepe was supposed to be simply a relaxed amphibian in his comic world.

The frog debuted in comic strips in 2005 – non-political and best known for a quirky behavior. A film, which follows Mr Furie's efforts to wrest back control of his creation, he explained his drawing came from his time with companions.

Early in his career, the artist experimented with sharing his art to early internet platforms, where other users began to copy, alter, and reinterpret the frog. As Pepe spread into darker parts of online spaces, the creator attempted to distance himself from the frog, even killing him off in a final panel.

But Pepe lived on.

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

Previously, the association of Pepe resulted in amphibian imagery were predominantly linked to the right. This shifted on a day in October, when a viral moment between an activist dressed in a blow-up amphibian suit and an immigration officer in Portland, Oregon captured global attention.

This incident followed a directive to send military personnel to Portland, which was called "war-ravaged". Protesters began to assemble in large numbers at a specific location, just outside of a federal building.

Tensions were high and an agent deployed irritant at a protester, aiming directly into the air intake fan of the puffy frog costume.

The protester, the man in the costume, quipped, stating it tasted like "spicier tamales". Yet the footage went viral.

The frog suit fit right in for Portland, famous for its eccentric vibe and activist demonstrations that delight in the absurd – outdoor exercise, retro fitness classes, and unique parades. A local saying is "Keep Portland Weird."

The frog became part of in subsequent court proceedings between the administration and the city, which contended the deployment overstepped authority.

While the court ruled in October that the administration was within its rights to send personnel, one judge dissented, referencing in her ruling the protesters' "well-known penchant for using unusual attire when expressing opposition."

"Some might view the majority's ruling, which adopts the government's characterization as a war zone, as simply ridiculous," the dissenting judge wrote. "Yet the outcome is not merely absurd."

The order was halted by courts soon after, and troops are said to have left the area.

Yet already, the amphibian costume had become a significant protest icon for progressive movements.

This symbol appeared nationwide at No Kings protests last autumn. Amphibian costumes were present – along with other creatures – in major US cities. They appeared in rural communities and big international cities like Tokyo and London.

This item was in high demand on online retailers, and rose in price.

Mastering the Optics

What brings Pepe and the protest frog – lies in the dynamic between the silly, innocent image and a deeper political meaning. Experts call this "tactical frivolity."

The strategy rests on what Mr Bogad calls the "irresistible image" – often silly, it's a "disarming and charming" performance that highlights a message without needing explicitly stating them. It's the unusual prop you wear, or the meme you share.

Mr Bogad is both an expert on this topic and a veteran practitioner. He's written a text called 'Tactical Performance', and led seminars around the world.

"One can look back to historical periods – when people are dominated, they use absurdity to speak the truth indirectly and while maintaining plausible deniability."

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

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