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This revolution may not be broadcast, yet it might possess webbed feet and large eyes.

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

While rallies against the leadership carry on in American cities, protesters have embraced the energy of a community costume parade. They've offered dance instruction, handed out snacks, and performed on unicycles, while armed law enforcement observe.

Mixing comedy and political action – an approach social scientists call "tactical frivolity" – isn't novel. But it has become a hallmark of US demonstrations in recent years, embraced by various groups.

A specific icon has risen to become particularly salient – the frog. It began when a video of a confrontation between a protester in a frog suit and ICE agents in the city of Portland, became an internet sensation. It subsequently appeared to demonstrations throughout the United States.

"There is much at play with that small frog costume," states LM Bogad, who teaches at UC Davis and an academic who studies performance art.

From Pepe to the Streets of Portland

It is difficult to examine demonstrations and amphibians without addressing Pepe, a web comic frog co-opted by far-right groups throughout an election cycle.

Initially, when the meme first took off on the internet, its purpose was to signal certain emotions. Afterwards, its use evolved to show support for a candidate, even a particular image shared by the candidate personally, depicting Pepe with recognizable attire and hairstyle.

The frog was also portrayed in certain internet forums in offensive ways, portrayed as a hate group member. Users traded "rare Pepes" and established cryptocurrency in his name. His catchphrase, "feels good, man", was used a coded signal.

But its beginnings were not so controversial.

Matt Furie, artist Matt Furie, has been vocal about his disapproval for its co-option. Pepe was supposed to be simply a relaxed amphibian in his series.

This character first appeared in an online comic in 2005 – non-political and famous for a quirky behavior. In 'Feels Good Man', which chronicles the creator's attempt to take back of his creation, he explained the character was inspired by his life with companions.

When he began, Mr Furie tried uploading his work to the nascent social web, where people online began to borrow, remix and reinvent the frog. When the meme proliferated into the more extreme corners of the internet, Mr Furie sought to reject his creation, including ending its life in a final panel.

Yet the frog persisted.

"This demonstrates the lack of control over icons," explains Prof Bogad. "They can change and shift and be repurposed."

For a long time, the association of Pepe meant that amphibian imagery were predominantly linked to conservative politics. A transformation occurred recently, when a confrontation between a protestor wearing a blow-up amphibian suit and an immigration officer in Portland, Oregon went viral.

The event came just days after an order to send military personnel to the city, which was described as "war-ravaged". Activists began to assemble in large numbers at a specific location, near an ICE office.

Tensions were high and an agent sprayed pepper spray at the individual, directing it into the opening of the puffy frog costume.

Seth Todd, Seth Todd, reacted humorously, saying it tasted like "something milder". Yet the footage became a sensation.

The costume was not too unusual for Portland, famous for its eccentric vibe and left-wing protests that embrace the absurd – public yoga, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and unique parades. A local saying is "Embrace the Strange."

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

While a judge decided in October that the president was within its rights to send personnel, a dissenting judge wrote, noting in her opinion demonstrators' "propensity for wearing chicken suits when expressing opposition."

"Observers may be tempted the court's opinion, which accepts the description of Portland as a war zone, as simply ridiculous," she wrote. "But today's decision has serious implications."

The action was "permanently" blocked just a month later, and personnel are said to have left the city.

Yet already, the frog had transformed into a potent protest icon for progressive movements.

The inflatable suit appeared nationwide at No Kings protests last autumn. There were frogs – and unicorns and axolotls and dinosaurs – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They appeared in small towns and global metropolises abroad.

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

Controlling the Narrative

What connects the two amphibian symbols – lies in the interplay between the humorous, benign cartoon and a deeper political meaning. This is what "tactical frivolity."

The tactic is based on what the professor calls a "disarming display" – frequently absurd, it acts as a "disarming and charming" act that calls attention to your ideas without needing obviously explaining them. This is the goofy costume used, or the meme you share.

Mr Bogad is an analyst on this topic and a veteran practitioner. He's written a text called 'Tactical Performance', 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 a little bit and while maintaining a layer of protection."

The idea of such tactics is multi-faceted, he says.

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