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This resistance isn't broadcast, yet it might possess amphibious toes and large eyes.

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

Whilst rallies opposing the government continue in US cities, participants are adopting the energy of a community costume parade. They've provided dance instruction, distributed treats, and performed on unicycles, as officers observe.

Combining humour and political action – an approach experts term "tactical frivolity" – has historical precedent. Yet it has transformed into a hallmark of US demonstrations in the current era, embraced by various groups.

And one symbol has emerged as notably significant – the frog. It originated when video footage of an encounter between an individual in a frog suit and ICE agents in Portland, Oregon, became an internet sensation. It subsequently appeared to protests throughout the United States.

"A great deal happening with that little blow-up amphibian," notes an expert, a professor at UC Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who specialises in political performance.

The Path From the Pepe Meme to the Streets of Portland

It's challenging to talk about demonstrations and amphibians without talking about Pepe, a web comic frog adopted by extremist movements throughout a political race.

When the character initially spread on the internet, it was used to express certain emotions. Afterwards, it was deployed to show support for a political figure, including one notable meme shared by that figure personally, portraying the frog with recognizable attire and hairstyle.

Pepe was also depicted in certain internet forums in darker contexts, as a hate group member. Participants exchanged "rare Pepes" and established digital currency using its likeness. Its famous line, "that feels good", became a shared phrase.

Yet the character did not originate this divisive.

Matt Furie, the illustrator, has stated about his disapproval for its appropriation. The character was intended as simply a "chill frog-dude" in his series.

Pepe first appeared in comic strips in the mid-2000s – apolitical and notable for a particular bathroom habit. A film, which follows the creator's attempt to reclaim ownership of his work, he said the character was inspired by his time with friends and roommates.

Early in his career, the artist tried sharing his art to new websites, where the community began to copy, alter, and reinterpret the frog. When the meme proliferated into fringe areas of online spaces, Mr Furie attempted to distance himself from his creation, including ending its life in a comic strip.

Yet the frog persisted.

"This demonstrates the lack of control over symbols," explains the professor. "They transform and be reworked."

For a long time, the popularity of Pepe meant that frogs were predominantly linked to the right. But that changed in early October, when a viral moment between an activist wearing a blow-up amphibian suit and an immigration officer in Portland spread rapidly online.

The moment came just days after a directive to deploy military personnel to the city, which was called "war-ravaged". Activists began to congregate outside a facility, near a federal building.

Emotions ran high and a officer sprayed irritant at the individual, directing it into the air intake fan of the inflatable suit.

The protester, the man in the costume, responded with a joke, saying he had tasted "spicier tamales". However, the video went viral.

The frog suit fit right in for Portland, famous for its unconventional spirit and left-wing protests that revel in the unusual – outdoor exercise, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and nude cycling groups. A local saying is "Embrace the Strange."

The costume became part of in a lawsuit between the federal government and Portland, which contended the deployment was illegal.

While the court ruled in October that the president had the right to send personnel, a minority opinion disagreed, mentioning the protesters' "known tendency for donning inflatable costumes while voicing opposition."

"It is easy to see this decision, which adopts the description of Portland as a war zone, as merely absurd," the dissenting judge stated. "However, this ruling has serious implications."

The order was halted by courts just a month later, and personnel have reportedly departed the city.

Yet already, the frog had transformed into a significant symbol of resistance for the left.

This symbol was spotted in many cities at No Kings protests last autumn. Frogs appeared – along with other creatures – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They appeared in rural communities and big international cities like Tokyo and London.

The inflatable suit was in high demand on online retailers, and saw its cost increase.

Controlling the Visual Story

What connects both frogs together – is the interplay between the humorous, benign cartoon and a deeper political meaning. This concept is "tactical frivolity."

The strategy rests on what the professor calls the "irresistible image" – frequently absurd, it acts as a "appealing and non-threatening" act that highlights your ideas without needing explicitly stating them. It's the silly outfit used, or the symbol circulated.

Mr Bogad is an analyst on this topic and an experienced participant. He's written a book called 'Tactical Performance', and taught workshops internationally.

"One can look back to the Middle Ages – under oppressive regimes, they use absurdity to express dissent a little bit and while maintaining plausible deniability."

The purpose of such tactics is three-fold, Mr Bogad explains.

As activists take on the state, a silly costume {takes control of|seizes|influences