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This resistance isn't broadcast, but it could have amphibious toes and bulging eyes.

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

While rallies against the administration persist in US cities, demonstrators are adopting the spirit of a local block party. They've provided salsa lessons, distributed snacks, and performed on unicycles, as officers look on.

Combining humour and politics – an approach researchers refer to as "tactical frivolity" – isn't novel. Yet it has transformed into a hallmark of US demonstrations in recent years, embraced by various groups.

A specific icon has proven to be especially powerful – the frog. It originated when recordings of a clash between a man in an inflatable frog and ICE agents in the city of Portland, went viral. From there, it proliferated to rallies throughout the United States.

"There's a lot going on with that humble blow-up amphibian," says a professor, a professor at UC Davis and an academic who specialises in creative activism.

From a Cartoon Frog to the Streets of Portland

It's challenging to talk about demonstrations and amphibians without addressing Pepe, a web comic frog embraced by extremist movements during a previous presidential campaign.

As the character initially spread on the internet, people used it to express certain emotions. Afterwards, its use evolved to show support for a candidate, including one notable meme retweeted by that figure himself, showing Pepe with recognizable attire and hairstyle.

The frog was also portrayed in right-wing online communities in more extreme scenarios, as a historical dictator. Users exchanged "rare Pepes" and established cryptocurrency in his name. Its famous line, "feels good, man", was deployed an inside joke.

Yet its beginnings were not as a political symbol.

Matt Furie, the illustrator, has been vocal about his distaste for its co-option. His creation was meant as simply a "chill frog-dude" in his series.

The frog first appeared in a series of comics in the mid-2000s – non-political and notable for a quirky behavior. In 'Feels Good Man', which documents Mr Furie's efforts to wrest back control of his work, he said his drawing was inspired by his life with companions.

When he began, the artist tried uploading his work to the nascent social web, where other users began to borrow, remix and reinvent the frog. As its popularity grew into darker parts of the internet, the creator sought to reject the frog, including ending its life in a comic strip.

Yet the frog persisted.

"This demonstrates that we don't control icons," says Prof Bogad. "Their meaning can evolve and be reworked."

Previously, the association of this meme meant that amphibian imagery were predominantly linked to the right. But that changed recently, when an incident between a protestor wearing a blow-up amphibian suit and a federal agent in Portland captured global attention.

This incident followed a decision to send military personnel to the city, which was called "war-ravaged". Protesters began to gather in droves outside a facility, just outside of an ICE office.

The situation was tense and a officer sprayed pepper spray at the individual, directing it into the ventilation of the costume.

Seth Todd, the man in the costume, quipped, stating it tasted like "spicier tamales". But the incident spread everywhere.

The frog suit fit right in for the city, renowned for its quirky culture and activist demonstrations that delight in the absurd – outdoor exercise, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and unique parades. Its creed is "Embrace the Strange."

The costume even played a role in a lawsuit between the administration and the city, which contended the deployment overstepped authority.

Although a judge decided in October that the president had the right to deploy troops, a dissenting judge wrote, noting in her opinion demonstrators' "propensity for donning inflatable costumes while voicing opposition."

"It is easy to see the majority's ruling, which adopts the description of Portland as a battlefield, as merely absurd," the dissenting judge stated. "Yet the outcome is not merely absurd."

The deployment was halted by courts soon after, and personnel withdrew from the area.

But by then, the frog was now a potent symbol of resistance for the left.

The inflatable suit appeared across the country at anti-authoritarian protests last autumn. There were frogs – along with other creatures – in major US cities. They appeared in rural communities and big international cities abroad.

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

Mastering the Optics

The link between both frogs together – is the interplay between the silly, innocent image and a deeper political meaning. Experts call this "tactical frivolity."

The strategy is based on what the professor calls a "disarming display" – frequently absurd, it acts as a "disarming and charming" act that draws focus to a cause without directly articulating them. It's the goofy costume used, or the symbol circulated.

Mr Bogad is both an expert in the subject and someone who uses these tactics. He's written a text called 'Tactical Performance', and led seminars internationally.

"You could go back to historical periods – when people are dominated, they use absurdity to express dissent a little bit and still have a layer of protection."

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

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