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This revolution isn't televised, yet it might possess amphibious toes and large eyes.

It also might feature the horn of a unicorn or a chicken's feathers.

While demonstrations against the administration carry on in US cities, participants are adopting the energy of a community costume parade. They've offered dance instruction, distributed treats, and ridden unicycles, while armed law enforcement observe.

Combining comedy and politics – an approach researchers call "tactical frivolity" – has historical precedent. Yet it has transformed into a signature characteristic of protests in the United States in recent years, used by all sides of the political spectrum.

A specific icon has proven to be notably significant – the frog. It originated when video footage of a confrontation between a protester in an inflatable frog and ICE agents in the city of Portland, spread online. From there, it proliferated to protests nationwide.

"There's a lot going on with that humble frog costume," says LM Bogad, who teaches at UC Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who specialises in performance art.

The Path From Pepe to the Streets of Portland

It is difficult to talk about demonstrations and amphibians without talking about Pepe, a cartoon character adopted by extremist movements during a political race.

Initially, when the meme initially spread on the internet, its purpose was to signal specific feelings. Afterwards, it was utilized to express backing for a political figure, including one notable meme shared by the candidate personally, showing Pepe with recognizable attire and hairstyle.

Pepe was also depicted in certain internet forums in darker contexts, as a historical dictator. Online conservatives traded "unique frog images" and established cryptocurrency in his name. Its famous line, "feels good, man", became an inside joke.

But its beginnings were not so controversial.

Matt Furie, artist Matt Furie, has been vocal about his unhappiness for how the image has been used. The character was intended as simply an apolitical figure in his comic world.

The frog debuted in a series of comics in 2005 – apolitical and notable for a particular bathroom habit. In 'Feels Good Man', which documents the creator's attempt to wrest back control of his creation, he stated his drawing was inspired by his time with companions.

As he started out, Mr Furie tried sharing his art to early internet platforms, where people online began to borrow, remix and reinvent his character. As its popularity grew into the more extreme corners of the internet, Mr Furie attempted to distance himself from the frog, even killing him off in a final panel.

But Pepe lived on.

"It shows that creators cannot own symbols," says the professor. "Their meaning can evolve and be reclaimed."

Until recently, the notoriety of Pepe resulted in amphibian imagery were largely associated with conservative politics. This shifted in early October, when a viral moment between a protestor dressed in a blow-up amphibian suit and an immigration officer in Portland, Oregon spread rapidly online.

The event came just days after a decision to send the National Guard to Portland, which was described as "a warzone". Activists began to congregate outside a facility, just outside of a federal building.

Emotions ran high and an immigration officer sprayed irritant at a protester, directing it into the air intake fan of the costume.

The individual, the man in the costume, responded with a joke, stating he had tasted "something milder". But the incident went viral.

The frog suit was somewhat typical for the city, known for its quirky culture and left-wing protests that delight in the ridiculous – outdoor exercise, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and nude cycling groups. A local saying is "Keep Portland Weird."

The costume became part of in a lawsuit between the federal government and Portland, which contended the deployment was unlawful.

While a judge decided that month that the president had the right to deploy troops, one judge dissented, noting in her opinion the protesters' "known tendency for using unusual attire while voicing their disagreement."

"Observers may be tempted the majority's ruling, which adopts the description of Portland as a battlefield, as simply ridiculous," she stated. "Yet the outcome has serious implications."

The deployment was halted by courts subsequently, and personnel have reportedly departed the area.

But by then, the frog had become a significant symbol of resistance for progressive movements.

The inflatable suit appeared across the country at No Kings protests recently. Frogs appeared – along with other creatures – in major US cities. They were in rural communities and global metropolises like Tokyo and London.

The inflatable suit was in high demand on online retailers, and rose in price.

Controlling the Optics

The link between Pepe and the protest frog – is the interplay between the silly, innocent image and serious intent. This concept is "tactical frivolity."

This approach is based on what the professor terms a "disarming display" – frequently absurd, it acts as a "disarming and charming" display that draws focus to a message without directly articulating them. It's the silly outfit used, or the meme you share.

Mr Bogad is both an expert in the subject and someone who uses these tactics. He authored a book on the subject, and led seminars around the world.

"One can look back to the Middle Ages – when people are dominated, they use absurdity to express dissent indirectly and still have a layer of protection."

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

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