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The resistance won't be televised, but it could have webbed feet and bulging eyes.

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

As rallies against the government persist in American cities, protesters have embraced the vibe of a local block party. They've offered salsa lessons, given away treats, and ridden unicycles, while officers observe.

Mixing humour and political action – an approach experts refer to as "tactical frivolity" – isn't novel. Yet it has transformed into a defining feature of US demonstrations in the current era, embraced by all sides of the political spectrum.

One particular emblem has emerged as notably significant – the frog. It started after video footage of a confrontation between an individual in an inflatable frog and ICE agents in Portland, Oregon, spread online. From there, it proliferated to protests across the country.

"There is much happening with that small blow-up amphibian," says an expert, a professor at University of California, Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who studies political performance.

The Path From the Pepe Meme to Portland

It's hard to examine demonstrations and amphibians without mentioning Pepe, a cartoon character co-opted by far-right groups throughout an election cycle.

As the character initially spread on the internet, people used it to signal specific feelings. Subsequently, it was deployed to endorse a political figure, including one notable meme shared by the candidate personally, showing the frog with a signature suit and hair.

Pepe was also depicted in certain internet forums in more extreme scenarios, portrayed as a hate group member. Participants exchanged "unique frog images" and established digital currency in his name. Its famous line, "that feels good", was deployed a coded signal.

However Pepe didn't start out so controversial.

Matt Furie, artist Matt Furie, has been vocal about his distaste for how the image has been used. Pepe was supposed to be simply an apolitical figure in his comic world.

This character debuted in comic strips in the mid-2000s – apolitical and notable for a quirky behavior. In 'Feels Good Man', which follows the creator's attempt to take back of his work, he stated the character was inspired by his experiences with companions.

As he started out, Mr Furie tried uploading his work to new websites, where the community began to borrow, remix and reinvent his character. As Pepe spread into darker parts of the internet, the creator tried to disavow the frog, even killing him off in a final panel.

However, its legacy continued.

"This demonstrates that creators cannot own symbols," says Prof Bogad. "They can change and shift and be repurposed."

Until recently, the association of Pepe meant that amphibian imagery became a symbol for the right. But that changed recently, when an incident between a protestor dressed in an inflatable frog costume and an immigration officer in Portland went viral.

This incident followed an order to send the National Guard to Portland, which was called "war-ravaged". Demonstrators began to assemble in large numbers on a single block, just outside of a federal building.

Tensions were high and a officer deployed irritant at the individual, targeting the air intake fan of the inflatable suit.

The protester, Seth Todd, quipped, remarking he had tasted "spicier tamales". But the incident became a sensation.

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

This symbol became part of in subsequent court proceedings between the administration and Portland, which contended the use of troops was illegal.

Although a judge decided that month that the president was within its rights to send personnel, a minority opinion disagreed, referencing in her ruling the protesters' "propensity for donning inflatable costumes while voicing opposition."

"It is easy to see the majority's ruling, which adopts the government's characterization as a war zone, as merely absurd," Judge Susan Graber wrote. "But today's decision has serious implications."

The order was stopped legally soon after, and personnel withdrew from the city.

Yet already, the frog was now a powerful protest icon for progressive movements.

This symbol was spotted across the country at No Kings protests that fall. Amphibian costumes were present – and unicorns and axolotls and dinosaurs – in major US cities. They were in rural communities and big international cities abroad.

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

Shaping the Visual Story

What brings Pepe and the protest frog – is the relationship between the humorous, benign cartoon and serious intent. This is what "tactical frivolity."

The strategy is based on what Mr Bogad calls a "disarming display" – frequently absurd, it acts as a "disarming and charming" display that calls attention to a message without needing explicitly stating them. It's the silly outfit you wear, or the meme circulated.

The professor is both an expert on this topic and an experienced participant. He's written a book called 'Tactical Performance', and led seminars internationally.

"You could go back to historical periods – under oppressive regimes, they use absurdity to express dissent a little bit and while maintaining a layer of protection."

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

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