This resistance isn't broadcast, yet it might possess webbed feet and large eyes.
Furthermore, it may involve a unicorn's horn or a chicken's feathers.
Whilst rallies against the administration carry on in US cities, protesters are utilizing the vibe of a neighborhood dress-up party. They have taught dance instruction, handed out treats, and performed on unicycles, as police watch.
Combining comedy and political action – a strategy social scientists refer to as "tactical frivolity" – is not new. Yet it has transformed into a hallmark of protests in the United States in the current era, adopted by both left and right.
One particular emblem has risen to become particularly salient – the frog. It began when recordings of an encounter between an individual in an amphibian costume and ICE agents in Portland, Oregon, spread online. And it has since spread to protests nationwide.
"A great deal happening with that small frog costume," notes LM Bogad, a professor at UC Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who specialises in political performance.
It's hard to discuss protests and frogs without talking about Pepe, a cartoon character embraced by extremist movements during a political race.
When the meme initially spread online, it was used to convey specific feelings. Later, it was deployed to show support for a political figure, even one notable meme shared by the candidate personally, depicting the frog with a signature suit and hair.
Images also circulated in certain internet forums in offensive ways, portrayed as a historical dictator. Online conservatives traded "rare Pepes" and established digital currency using its likeness. Its famous line, "feels good, man", was deployed a coded signal.
Yet the character did not originate as a political symbol.
The artist behind it, the illustrator, has stated about his distaste for its co-option. His creation was meant as simply a relaxed amphibian in his series.
This character debuted in a series of comics in the mid-2000s – non-political and famous for a particular bathroom habit. In a documentary, which documents the creator's attempt to reclaim ownership of his work, he explained the character was inspired by his experiences with companions.
As he started out, Mr Furie experimented with sharing his art to new websites, where people online began to copy, alter, and reinterpret the frog. When the meme proliferated into the more extreme corners of the internet, the creator sought to reject the frog, even killing him off in a comic strip.
But Pepe lived on.
"It proves that we don't control icons," explains the professor. "They can change and shift and be repurposed."
Until recently, the notoriety of Pepe resulted in frogs were predominantly linked to conservative politics. A transformation occurred recently, when a confrontation between a protestor wearing a blow-up amphibian suit and a federal agent in Portland, Oregon went viral.
The event came just days after an order to send military personnel to Portland, which was called "war-ravaged". Protesters began to gather in droves outside a facility, just outside of a federal building.
The situation was tense and an agent deployed pepper spray at a protester, targeting the air intake fan of the puffy frog costume.
The individual, the man in the costume, reacted humorously, stating it tasted like "something milder". But the incident became a sensation.
The frog suit was not too unusual for Portland, famous for its quirky culture and activist demonstrations that delight in the ridiculous – outdoor exercise, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and unique parades. A local saying is "Embrace the Strange."
This symbol even played a role in subsequent court proceedings between the federal government and the city, which contended the use of troops overstepped authority.
While a judge decided that month that the president was within its rights to send personnel, a dissenting judge wrote, mentioning demonstrators' "propensity for wearing chicken suits while voicing their disagreement."
"It is easy to see this decision, which adopts the description of Portland as a battlefield, as simply ridiculous," the dissenting judge opined. "However, this ruling goes beyond absurdity."
The action was stopped legally soon after, and troops are said to have left the area.
But by then, the amphibian costume had transformed into a potent symbol of resistance for progressive movements.
This symbol was seen nationwide at No Kings protests recently. There were frogs – along with other creatures – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They were in rural communities and global metropolises like Tokyo and London.
The inflatable suit was backordered on major websites, and rose in price.
The link between the two amphibian symbols – is the relationship between the silly, innocent image and a deeper political meaning. This concept is "tactical frivolity."
The strategy relies on what Mr Bogad terms a "disarming display" – frequently absurd, it's a "appealing and non-threatening" performance that calls attention to a cause without needing explicitly stating them. It's the goofy costume you wear, or the meme circulated.
The professor is an analyst on this topic and an experienced participant. He authored a book called 'Tactical Performance', and taught workshops internationally.
"One can look back to historical periods – when people are dominated, they use absurdity to express dissent a little bit and while maintaining a layer of protection."
The theory of such tactics is three-fold, Mr Bogad explains.
When protesters take on a powerful opposition, a silly costume {takes control of|seizes|influences
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