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

Additionally, it could include the horn of a unicorn or the plumage of a chicken.

While protests opposing the administration continue in American cities, participants have embraced the spirit of a neighborhood dress-up party. They've provided dance instruction, given away snacks, and performed on unicycles, as armed law enforcement observe.

Blending levity and politics – a strategy social scientists term "tactical frivolity" – is not new. However, it has emerged as a defining feature of protests in the United States in this period, embraced by both left and right.

A specific icon has emerged as particularly salient – the frog. It started after video footage of a confrontation between a protester in an amphibian costume and federal officers in Portland, Oregon, became an internet sensation. It subsequently appeared to demonstrations across the country.

"There is much happening with that small blow-up amphibian," states LM Bogad, who teaches at University of California, Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who studies creative activism.

From a Cartoon Frog to the Streets of Portland

It is difficult to discuss protests and frogs without talking about Pepe, a cartoon character adopted by online communities during a previous presidential campaign.

When the meme first took off online, people used it to express certain emotions. Subsequently, it was utilized to express backing for a candidate, even a particular image endorsed by the candidate personally, portraying the frog with a signature suit and hair.

Pepe was also depicted in right-wing online communities in offensive ways, as a hate group member. Users traded "unique frog images" and set up cryptocurrency in his name. His catchphrase, "that feels good", was deployed a coded signal.

Yet the character did not originate so controversial.

The artist behind it, the illustrator, has been vocal about his disapproval for how the image has been used. His creation was meant as simply an apolitical figure in his series.

The frog first appeared in a series of comics in 2005 – non-political and notable for a particular bathroom habit. In a documentary, which chronicles the creator's attempt to reclaim ownership of his work, he explained the character came from his time with companions.

When he began, Mr Furie experimented with uploading his work to early internet platforms, where people online began to copy, alter, and reinterpret the frog. As its popularity grew into fringe areas of the internet, Mr Furie sought to reject the frog, even killing him off in a final panel.

But Pepe lived on.

"It proves that we don't control icons," says the professor. "Their meaning can evolve and be reworked."

Until recently, the association of this meme meant that frogs were predominantly linked to conservative politics. But that changed in early October, when an incident between a protestor wearing a blow-up amphibian suit and an immigration officer in Portland captured global attention.

The event occurred shortly after a directive to deploy the National Guard to Portland, which was described as "a warzone". Demonstrators began to congregate at a specific location, just outside of an immigration enforcement facility.

The situation was tense and a officer used irritant at the individual, targeting the ventilation of the costume.

The individual, Seth Todd, quipped, saying he had tasted "something milder". But the incident became a sensation.

The frog suit was not too unusual for the city, famous for its unconventional spirit and left-wing protests that revel in the ridiculous – outdoor exercise, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and unique parades. Its creed is "Embrace the Strange."

This symbol became part of in the ensuing legal battle between the administration and the city, which argued the use of troops was illegal.

Although a ruling was issued in October that the president was within its rights to deploy troops, one judge dissented, noting in her opinion the protesters' "known tendency for wearing chicken suits when expressing opposition."

"Some might view the court's opinion, which adopts the government's characterization as a battlefield, as simply ridiculous," the dissenting judge opined. "But today's decision goes beyond absurdity."

The action was "permanently" blocked just a month later, and troops have reportedly departed the area.

However, by that time, the amphibian costume was now a significant symbol of resistance for the left.

The costume appeared in many cities at No Kings protests recently. Frogs appeared – and unicorns and axolotls and dinosaurs – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They appeared in rural communities and global metropolises like Tokyo and London.

This item was sold out on online retailers, and saw its cost increase.

Mastering the Optics

The link between both frogs together – lies in the interplay between the humorous, benign cartoon and underlying political significance. This is what "tactical frivolity."

This approach relies on what the professor terms a "disarming display" – usually humorous, it's a "disarming and charming" display that calls attention to a cause without needing explicitly stating them. It's the silly outfit used, or the meme you share.

The professor is an analyst on this topic and a veteran practitioner. He's written a book on the subject, and led seminars around the world.

"You could go back to the Middle Ages – when people are dominated, absurd humor is used to speak the truth a little bit and while maintaining a layer of protection."

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

As activists take on authority, humorous attire {takes control of|seizes|influences