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

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

As protests against the leadership persist in American cities, demonstrators have embraced the vibe of a community costume parade. They've offered dance instruction, given away snacks, and performed on unicycles, while armed law enforcement watch.

Combining comedy and politics – a strategy social scientists term "tactical frivolity" – is not new. Yet it has transformed into a defining feature of US demonstrations in recent years, embraced by all sides of the political spectrum.

One particular emblem has proven to be notably significant – the frog. It started when video footage of a confrontation between a man in a frog suit and ICE agents in Portland, Oregon, went viral. It subsequently appeared to rallies throughout the United States.

"There is much at play with that humble frog costume," states an expert, who teaches at UC Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who studies political performance.

The Path From a Cartoon Frog to Portland

It is difficult to discuss protests and frogs without addressing Pepe, an illustrated figure embraced by far-right groups during a previous presidential campaign.

Initially, when this image gained popularity online, people used it to signal specific feelings. Later, it was deployed to endorse a political figure, even one notable meme shared by the candidate himself, showing Pepe with a signature suit and hair.

Pepe was also depicted in digital spaces in more extreme scenarios, portrayed as a historical dictator. Users exchanged "rare Pepes" and set up digital currency in his name. His catchphrase, "that feels good", was deployed a shared phrase.

However Pepe didn't start out this divisive.

Its creator, the illustrator, has stated about his unhappiness for its co-option. Pepe was supposed to be simply a "chill frog-dude" in this artist's universe.

The frog debuted in an online comic in 2005 – apolitical and famous for a quirky behavior. A film, which chronicles Mr Furie's efforts to take back of his work, he explained his drawing came from his experiences with companions.

Early in his career, the artist tried uploading his work to new websites, where the community began to borrow, remix and reinvent the frog. As its popularity grew into darker parts of the internet, Mr Furie tried to disavow the frog, including ending its life in a comic strip.

Yet the frog persisted.

"It proves that we don't control icons," states Prof Bogad. "They can change and shift and be reworked."

Until recently, the notoriety of this meme meant that frogs were predominantly linked to the right. This shifted in early October, when a confrontation between an activist dressed in a blow-up amphibian suit and an immigration officer in Portland spread rapidly online.

The moment came just days after a decision to deploy the National Guard to the city, which was called "war-ravaged". Demonstrators began to congregate at a specific location, near an immigration enforcement facility.

The situation was tense and a officer deployed irritant at a protester, aiming directly into the opening of the inflatable suit.

The protester, Seth Todd, responded with a joke, stating he had tasted "something milder". However, the video became a sensation.

The costume fit right in for Portland, known for its unconventional spirit and activist demonstrations that revel in the unusual – public yoga, retro fitness classes, and unique parades. A local saying is "Keep Portland Weird."

This symbol was also referenced in subsequent court proceedings between the administration and the city, which contended the deployment overstepped authority.

While a judge decided that month that the president was within its rights to send personnel, a dissenting judge wrote, mentioning demonstrators' "well-known penchant for using unusual attire while voicing dissent."

"Observers may be tempted the majority's ruling, which adopts the government's characterization as a battlefield, as merely absurd," she wrote. "However, this ruling goes beyond absurdity."

The order was "permanently" blocked just a month later, and personnel withdrew from the city.

But by then, the frog was now a significant symbol of resistance for progressive movements.

The costume appeared nationwide at No Kings protests recently. There were frogs – and unicorns and axolotls and dinosaurs – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They were in rural communities and global metropolises abroad.

The frog costume was in high demand on online retailers, and became more expensive.

Shaping the Optics

The link between the two amphibian symbols – is the relationship between the humorous, benign cartoon and underlying political significance. This is what "tactical frivolity."

This approach rests on what Mr Bogad calls a "disarming display" – often silly, it acts as a "disarming and charming" act that calls attention to a message without explicitly stating them. This is the unusual prop used, or the symbol you share.

Mr Bogad is both an expert on this topic and an experienced participant. He's written a book on the subject, and led seminars internationally.

"You could go back to historical periods – under oppressive regimes, absurd humor is used to speak the truth a little bit and still have a layer of protection."

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

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