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The revolution won't be televised, but it could have amphibious toes and large eyes.

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

Whilst protests opposing the administration continue in American cities, protesters have embraced the energy of a local block party. They've offered salsa lessons, distributed snacks, and ridden unicycles, as officers watch.

Blending humour and politics – an approach social scientists call "tactical frivolity" – is not new. Yet it has transformed into a signature characteristic of protests in the United States in recent years, embraced by various groups.

And one symbol has risen to become particularly salient – the frog. It originated after recordings of a confrontation between an individual in an amphibian costume and immigration enforcement agents in the city of Portland, became an internet sensation. And it has since spread to rallies nationwide.

"There is much happening with that little frog costume," notes an expert, who teaches at UC Davis and an academic who focuses on political performance.

From Pepe to the Streets of Portland

It's hard to examine protests and frogs without addressing Pepe, a web comic frog adopted by online communities throughout a previous presidential campaign.

As the character first took off on the internet, its purpose was to signal specific feelings. Later, it was deployed to express backing for a candidate, even one notable meme retweeted by that figure himself, showing Pepe with a signature suit and hair.

Pepe was also depicted in right-wing online communities in offensive ways, portrayed as a historical dictator. Users exchanged "unique frog images" and established digital currency in his name. Its famous line, "feels good, man", was deployed a coded signal.

Yet Pepe didn't start out as a political symbol.

The artist behind it, the illustrator, has stated about his distaste for its appropriation. Pepe was supposed to be simply a relaxed amphibian in this artist's universe.

This character first appeared in an online comic in 2005 – apolitical and notable for a particular bathroom habit. In a documentary, which follows Mr Furie's efforts to wrest back control of his creation, he said the character was inspired by his life with companions.

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

But Pepe lived on.

"This demonstrates the lack of control over icons," explains the professor. "Their meaning can evolve and be reworked."

Previously, the popularity of Pepe resulted in amphibian imagery were largely associated with the right. A transformation occurred on a day in October, when an incident between an activist wearing a blow-up amphibian suit and a federal agent in Portland, Oregon went viral.

This incident occurred shortly after an order to send military personnel to Portland, which was described as "war-ravaged". Activists began to gather in droves outside a facility, near a federal building.

The situation was tense and a officer sprayed a chemical agent at a protester, aiming directly into the opening of the puffy frog costume.

The individual, Seth Todd, quipped, saying it tasted like "something milder". But the incident became a sensation.

The frog suit was not too unusual for Portland, famous for its unconventional spirit and left-wing protests that delight in the absurd – public yoga, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and nude cycling groups. A local saying is "Keep Portland Weird."

This symbol became part of in the ensuing legal battle between the federal government and Portland, which argued the deployment overstepped authority.

Although the court ruled that month that the president had the right to deploy troops, a dissenting judge wrote, noting in her opinion demonstrators' "known tendency for wearing chicken suits while voicing their disagreement."

"It is easy to see the court's opinion, which adopts the government's characterization as a war zone, as merely absurd," she opined. "However, this ruling is not merely absurd."

The order was halted by courts subsequently, and troops have reportedly departed the city.

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

This symbol was spotted across the country at No Kings protests recently. Frogs appeared – along with other creatures – in major US cities. They were in small towns and big international cities abroad.

The inflatable suit was in high demand on major websites, and rose in price.

Controlling the Visual Story

What connects both frogs together – lies in the dynamic between the silly, innocent image and underlying political significance. Experts call this "tactical frivolity."

This approach relies on what the professor terms the "irresistible image" – usually humorous, it's a "appealing and non-threatening" act that highlights your ideas without needing obviously explaining them. It's the goofy costume you wear, or the meme circulated.

The professor is an analyst on this topic and someone who uses these tactics. He authored a book called 'Tactical Performance', and led seminars internationally.

"You could go back to historical periods – when people are dominated, they use absurdity to express dissent indirectly and still have a layer of protection."

The theory of such tactics is multi-faceted, Mr Bogad explains.

As activists confront a powerful opposition, a silly costume {takes control of|seizes|influences