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This revolution isn't televised, though it may feature webbed feet and large eyes.

Additionally, it could include the horn of a unicorn or the plumage of a chicken.

While rallies opposing the administration persist in US cities, demonstrators are utilizing the energy of a local block party. They've offered dance instruction, given away snacks, and performed on unicycles, while police look on.

Combining levity and political action – a tactic researchers refer to as "tactical frivolity" – is not new. Yet it has transformed into a signature characteristic of protests in the United States in this period, embraced by all sides of the political spectrum.

One particular emblem has emerged as notably significant – the frog. It started when video footage of a clash between an individual in an amphibian costume and ICE agents in Portland, Oregon, spread online. It subsequently appeared to protests across the country.

"There is much at play with that small blow-up amphibian," states LM Bogad, who teaches at University of California, Davis and an academic who studies political performance.

The Path From a Cartoon Frog to Portland

It's challenging to examine protests and frogs without talking about Pepe, a web comic frog embraced by extremist movements throughout a previous presidential campaign.

When the meme first took off on the internet, it was used to signal specific feelings. Subsequently, it was deployed to show support for a political figure, including one notable meme retweeted by the candidate himself, depicting the frog with a signature suit and hair.

The frog was also portrayed in certain internet forums in offensive ways, as a historical dictator. Online conservatives exchanged "rare Pepes" and established cryptocurrency using its likeness. Its famous line, "that feels good", was used a coded signal.

But the character did not originate this divisive.

Its creator, artist Matt Furie, has stated about his distaste for its appropriation. His creation was meant as simply an apolitical figure in his comic world.

The frog first appeared in an online comic in 2005 – apolitical and notable for a quirky behavior. A film, which follows Mr Furie's efforts to wrest back control of his work, he stated the character was inspired by his experiences with friends and roommates.

Early in his career, the artist tried sharing his art to the nascent social web, where people online began to copy, alter, and reinterpret the frog. As its popularity grew into darker parts of the internet, the creator attempted to distance himself from the frog, even killing him off in a final panel.

However, its legacy continued.

"This demonstrates that we don't control imagery," states the professor. "They transform and be reclaimed."

Until recently, the notoriety of this meme meant that frogs were largely associated with conservative politics. But that changed recently, when a confrontation between a protestor dressed in an inflatable frog costume and a federal agent in Portland, Oregon went viral.

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

The situation was tense and an agent deployed pepper spray at a protester, targeting the opening of the inflatable suit.

The individual, the man in the costume, responded with a joke, remarking he had tasted "spicier tamales". But the incident went viral.

The frog suit was not too unusual for Portland, known for its eccentric vibe and left-wing protests that embrace the unusual – outdoor exercise, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and unique parades. A local saying is "Embrace the Strange."

The frog became part of in subsequent court proceedings between the federal government and Portland, which contended the deployment overstepped authority.

Although a judge decided that month that the administration was within its rights to deploy troops, one judge dissented, mentioning the protesters' "propensity for using unusual attire while voicing opposition."

"It is easy to see this decision, which adopts the description of Portland as a war zone, as simply ridiculous," Judge Susan Graber opined. "Yet the outcome has serious implications."

The deployment was "permanently" blocked soon after, and troops have reportedly departed the city.

But by then, the frog had transformed into a potent protest icon for progressive movements.

The costume appeared across the country at No Kings protests recently. Amphibian costumes were present – and unicorns and axolotls and dinosaurs – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They were in rural communities and global metropolises abroad.

This item was in high demand on major websites, and saw its cost increase.

Controlling the Visual Story

What brings the two amphibian symbols – is the dynamic between the humorous, benign cartoon and a deeper political meaning. Experts call this "tactical frivolity."

This approach rests on what Mr Bogad calls a "disarming display" – frequently absurd, it acts as a "appealing and non-threatening" display that calls attention to a cause without needing explicitly stating them. It's the unusual prop you wear, or the meme circulated.

Mr Bogad is both an expert in the subject and someone who uses these tactics. He authored a book called 'Tactical Performance', and taught workshops around the world.

"One can look back to historical periods – under oppressive regimes, they use absurdity to express dissent a little bit and still have a layer of protection."

The purpose of such tactics is three-fold, he says.

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