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The resistance isn't televised, though it may feature webbed feet and protruding eyes.

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

As demonstrations against the leadership carry on in American cities, protesters are utilizing the spirit of a local block party. They have taught salsa lessons, distributed snacks, and ridden unicycles, as officers watch.

Blending humour and politics – a tactic researchers refer to as "tactical frivolity" – isn't novel. But it has become a signature characteristic of American protest in the current era, embraced by various groups.

A specific icon has risen to become particularly salient – the frog. It originated after recordings of a confrontation between an individual in an amphibian costume and ICE agents in Portland, Oregon, spread online. From there, it proliferated to protests nationwide.

"There's a lot at play with that humble blow-up amphibian," states an expert, a professor at UC Davis and an academic who specialises in political performance.

From a Cartoon Frog to Portland

It is difficult to talk about demonstrations and amphibians without addressing Pepe, a web comic frog adopted by far-right groups during an election cycle.

Initially, when this image first took off on the internet, its purpose was to convey specific feelings. Afterwards, it was utilized to express backing for a political figure, even a particular image shared by the candidate himself, depicting 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. Participants traded "rare Pepes" and set up digital currency in his name. Its famous line, "feels good, man", became a shared phrase.

But its beginnings were not so controversial.

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

The frog first appeared in an online comic in 2005 – non-political and famous for a particular bathroom habit. A film, which follows Mr Furie's efforts to take back of his work, he explained the character was inspired by his time with companions.

When he began, Mr Furie tried uploading his work to the nascent social web, where other users began to borrow, remix and reinvent the frog. As Pepe spread into fringe areas of the internet, Mr Furie attempted to distance himself from the frog, including ending its life in a final panel.

Yet the frog persisted.

"This demonstrates the lack of control over imagery," explains Prof Bogad. "Their meaning can evolve and be reworked."

For a long time, the popularity of Pepe resulted in amphibian imagery were predominantly linked to the right. This shifted on a day in October, when a confrontation between a protestor wearing an inflatable frog costume and an immigration officer in Portland spread rapidly online.

The event followed an order to deploy the National Guard to the city, which was described as "war-ravaged". Demonstrators began to congregate at a specific location, near an ICE office.

The situation was tense and an immigration officer used pepper spray at the individual, directing it into the air intake fan of the puffy frog costume.

The protester, Seth Todd, reacted humorously, stating he had tasted "something milder". Yet the footage went viral.

The frog suit was not too unusual for the city, known for its quirky culture and activist demonstrations that revel in the absurd – public yoga, retro fitness classes, and unique parades. The city's unofficial motto is "Keep Portland Weird."

This symbol even played a role in a lawsuit between the administration and Portland, which claimed the use of troops was illegal.

Although the court ruled that month that the administration was within its rights to send personnel, a dissenting judge wrote, noting in her opinion the protesters' "known tendency for wearing chicken suits while voicing dissent."

"Some might view the majority's ruling, which adopts the description of Portland as a war zone, as merely absurd," she wrote. "But today's decision has serious implications."

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

But by then, the frog was now a significant symbol of resistance for progressive movements.

The inflatable suit appeared in many cities at No Kings protests recently. There were frogs – along with other creatures – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They appeared in rural communities and big international cities abroad.

The inflatable suit was backordered on major websites, and rose in price.

Mastering the Visual Story

What connects the two amphibian symbols – lies in the relationship between the silly, innocent image and serious intent. This concept is "tactical frivolity."

The tactic is based on what Mr Bogad calls a "disarming display" – often silly, it acts as a "disarming and charming" performance that highlights your ideas without directly articulating them. It's the silly outfit you wear, 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 around the world.

"One can look 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 purpose of such tactics is multi-faceted, Mr Bogad says.

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