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This resistance may not be televised, though it may feature amphibious toes and large eyes.

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

As protests against the leadership carry on in US cities, demonstrators have embraced the energy of a local block party. They have taught salsa lessons, given away snacks, and ridden unicycles, while armed law enforcement look on.

Combining humour and politics – an approach experts call "tactical frivolity" – has historical precedent. But it has become a hallmark of protests in the United States in this period, adopted by all sides of the political spectrum.

And one symbol has risen to become particularly salient – the frog. It began after video footage of an encounter between a protester in an inflatable frog and ICE agents in the city of Portland, became an internet sensation. And it has since spread to demonstrations across the country.

"There is much going on with that small blow-up amphibian," states an expert, who teaches at UC Davis and an academic who specialises in political performance.

The Path From the Pepe Meme to Portland

It is difficult to examine protests and frogs without mentioning Pepe, a cartoon character co-opted by online communities during a previous presidential campaign.

When this image gained popularity on the internet, people used it to express certain emotions. Subsequently, it was deployed to endorse a political figure, including one notable meme endorsed by that figure himself, showing the frog with recognizable attire and hairstyle.

Pepe was also depicted in certain internet forums in darker contexts, as a hate group member. Users traded "unique frog images" and set up cryptocurrency in his name. His catchphrase, "feels good, man", became a shared phrase.

Yet its beginnings were not this divisive.

The artist behind it, artist Matt Furie, has stated about his distaste for its appropriation. The character was intended as simply a relaxed amphibian in his series.

The frog debuted in a series of comics in 2005 – apolitical and famous for a quirky behavior. In 'Feels Good Man', which chronicles Mr Furie's efforts to take back of his creation, he stated his drawing came from his time with companions.

Early in his career, the artist experimented with uploading his work to the nascent social web, where other users began to borrow, remix and reinvent his character. When the meme proliferated into fringe areas of online spaces, the creator tried to disavow the frog, even killing him off in a final panel.

Yet the frog persisted.

"It shows that creators cannot own icons," states the professor. "They transform and be reclaimed."

Until recently, the popularity of this meme resulted in frogs were largely associated with conservative politics. This shifted on a day in October, when an incident between a protestor wearing an inflatable frog costume and a federal agent in Portland, Oregon captured global attention.

This incident came just days after a decision to deploy military personnel to Portland, which was called "a warzone". Demonstrators began to gather in droves outside a facility, near an immigration enforcement facility.

The situation was tense and an agent deployed a chemical agent at the individual, directing it into the opening of the puffy frog costume.

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

The frog suit was somewhat typical for the city, famous for its eccentric vibe and activist demonstrations that embrace the absurd – outdoor exercise, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and unique parades. The city's unofficial motto is "Embrace the Strange."

The frog was also referenced in subsequent court proceedings between the federal government and the city, which argued the deployment was illegal.

While a ruling was issued that month that the administration was within its rights to deploy troops, a dissenting judge wrote, mentioning the protesters' "known tendency for wearing chicken suits while voicing opposition."

"It is easy to see this decision, which accepts the description of Portland as a war zone, as merely absurd," Judge Susan Graber opined. "Yet the outcome goes beyond absurdity."

The deployment was "permanently" blocked just a month later, and personnel have reportedly departed the city.

However, by that time, the amphibian costume was now a powerful protest icon for the left.

The inflatable suit was spotted nationwide at No Kings protests last autumn. Frogs appeared – along with other creatures – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They were in small towns and big international cities like Tokyo and London.

The frog costume was in high demand on major websites, and rose in price.

Mastering the Optics

The link between both frogs together – lies in the relationship between the silly, innocent image and serious intent. Experts call this "tactical frivolity."

This approach relies on what Mr Bogad terms a "disarming display" – usually humorous, it's a "appealing and non-threatening" display that highlights a cause without obviously explaining them. This is the unusual prop used, or the meme you share.

The professor is both an expert in the subject and someone who uses these tactics. He's written a book on the subject, and taught workshops around the world.

"One can look back to historical periods – when people are dominated, absurd humor is used to speak the truth indirectly and while maintaining plausible deniability."

The purpose of this approach is multi-faceted, Mr Bogad explains.

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