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This revolution won't be broadcast, yet it might possess webbed feet and large eyes.

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

As protests against the administration continue in American cities, participants are utilizing the vibe of a neighborhood dress-up party. They have taught dance instruction, handed out snacks, and ridden unicycles, as armed law enforcement observe.

Blending levity and politics – a strategy researchers call "tactical frivolity" – isn't novel. However, it has emerged as a defining feature of American protest in this period, adopted by various groups.

And one symbol has emerged as especially powerful – the frog. It began after recordings of an encounter between an individual in an inflatable frog and immigration enforcement agents in the city of Portland, spread online. And it has since spread to rallies throughout the United States.

"There's a lot at play with that little blow-up amphibian," states a professor, who teaches at University of California, Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who focuses on creative activism.

From the Pepe Meme to the Streets of Portland

It's challenging to examine demonstrations and amphibians without mentioning Pepe, a cartoon character co-opted by far-right groups during a political race.

As the character initially spread online, it was used to convey certain emotions. Later, it was deployed to endorse a candidate, including one notable meme shared by that figure himself, portraying Pepe with recognizable attire and hairstyle.

Pepe was also depicted in certain internet forums in offensive ways, as a hate group member. Users traded "rare Pepes" and set up digital currency using its likeness. His catchphrase, "that feels good", was used an inside joke.

However the character did not originate this divisive.

The artist behind it, artist Matt Furie, has been vocal about his distaste for its appropriation. The character was intended as simply a relaxed amphibian in this artist's universe.

Pepe first appeared in a series of comics in 2005 – apolitical and famous for a particular bathroom habit. In 'Feels Good Man', which chronicles the creator's attempt to reclaim ownership of his work, he said his drawing came from his time with companions.

When he began, Mr Furie tried sharing his art to new websites, where people online began to copy, alter, and reinterpret the frog. As its popularity grew into fringe areas of online spaces, Mr Furie attempted to distance himself from the frog, even killing him off in a comic strip.

However, its legacy continued.

"It proves that we don't control icons," explains the professor. "Their meaning can evolve and be reworked."

Until recently, the popularity of Pepe resulted in amphibian imagery were largely associated with conservative politics. A transformation occurred on a day in October, when a viral moment between a protestor dressed in an inflatable frog costume and an immigration officer in Portland, Oregon spread rapidly online.

This incident occurred shortly after a directive to deploy military personnel to Portland, which was described as "a warzone". Activists began to gather in droves on a single block, just outside of an immigration enforcement facility.

Tensions were high and an agent sprayed pepper spray at the individual, directing it into the air intake fan of the inflatable suit.

The protester, the man in the costume, reacted humorously, remarking it tasted like "something milder". But the incident became a sensation.

Mr Todd's attire was not too unusual for Portland, famous for its quirky culture and left-wing protests that revel in the absurd – public yoga, retro fitness classes, and unique parades. The city's unofficial motto is "Embrace the Strange."

The frog even played a role in a lawsuit between the federal government and the city, which claimed the deployment was unlawful.

Although a ruling was issued that month that the president had the right to send personnel, a minority opinion disagreed, noting in her opinion the protesters' "propensity for wearing chicken suits while voicing dissent."

"Some might view this decision, which adopts the government's characterization as a battlefield, as merely absurd," the dissenting judge opined. "Yet the outcome has serious implications."

The deployment was stopped legally soon after, and troops have reportedly departed the area.

Yet already, the amphibian costume had transformed into a potent symbol of resistance for the left.

The costume appeared across the country at anti-authoritarian protests recently. Amphibian costumes were present – along with other creatures – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They appeared in rural communities and global metropolises like Tokyo and London.

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

Shaping the Optics

What connects both frogs together – is the relationship between the silly, innocent image and a deeper political meaning. This concept is "tactical frivolity."

The tactic rests on what the professor terms a "disarming display" – frequently absurd, it's a "disarming and charming" performance that calls attention to a cause without needing explicitly stating them. This is the silly outfit you wear, or the meme you share.

Mr Bogad is both an expert in the subject and an experienced participant. He authored a book on the subject, and taught workshops around the world.

"One can look back to the Middle Ages – 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 multi-faceted, Mr Bogad explains.

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