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This revolution may not be televised, but it could have webbed feet and protruding eyes.

Additionally, it could include a unicorn's horn or a chicken's feathers.

While rallies opposing the government persist in American cities, participants are utilizing the spirit of a community costume parade. They've provided dance instruction, distributed snacks, and performed on unicycles, as police look on.

Combining humour and politics – a tactic researchers term "tactical frivolity" – has historical precedent. Yet it has transformed into a hallmark of US demonstrations in the current era, adopted by various groups.

A specific icon has emerged as particularly salient – the frog. It started when a video of a clash between a man in a frog suit and immigration enforcement agents in the city of Portland, became an internet sensation. From there, it proliferated to rallies nationwide.

"There is much going on with that small inflatable frog," says an expert, who teaches at UC Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who specialises in performance art.

From a Cartoon Frog to Portland

It's hard to examine protests and frogs without mentioning Pepe, an illustrated figure adopted by online communities throughout a previous presidential campaign.

When the character first took off online, its purpose was to signal specific feelings. Later, it was utilized to express backing for a political figure, even one notable meme endorsed by that figure himself, portraying the frog with a signature suit and hair.

Pepe was also depicted in right-wing online communities in offensive ways, as a hate group member. Users exchanged "unique frog images" and set up digital currency in his name. His catchphrase, "feels good, man", was deployed a coded signal.

Yet its beginnings were not this divisive.

Its creator, the illustrator, has stated about his unhappiness for how the image has been used. The character was intended as simply a "chill frog-dude" in his comic world.

The frog first appeared in an online comic in 2005 – apolitical and famous for a particular bathroom habit. In a documentary, which documents Mr Furie's efforts to take back of his work, he said the character was inspired by his time with companions.

When he began, Mr Furie experimented with uploading his work to new websites, where other users began to copy, alter, and reinterpret the frog. When the meme proliferated into fringe areas of the internet, the creator attempted to distance himself from the frog, including ending its life in a final panel.

Yet the frog persisted.

"It proves that creators cannot own imagery," says Prof Bogad. "They transform and be repurposed."

Previously, the notoriety of this meme meant that frogs became a symbol for conservative politics. This shifted in early October, when a viral moment between an activist wearing an inflatable frog costume 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 described as "a warzone". Protesters began to assemble in large numbers on a single block, just outside of an immigration enforcement facility.

The situation was tense and an agent used irritant at a protester, directing it into the air intake fan of the inflatable suit.

Seth Todd, Seth Todd, quipped, saying it tasted like "spicier tamales". But the incident became a sensation.

The frog suit was not too unusual for the city, known for its unconventional spirit and left-wing protests that revel in the absurd – public yoga, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and unique parades. Its creed is "Keep Portland Weird."

The frog even played a role in a lawsuit between the federal government and Portland, which argued the deployment was illegal.

While a ruling was issued that month that the president was within its rights to send personnel, a minority opinion disagreed, mentioning the protesters' "known tendency for donning inflatable costumes when expressing dissent."

"Some might view this decision, which adopts the description of Portland as a war zone, as simply ridiculous," the dissenting judge wrote. "But today's decision has serious implications."

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

But by then, the amphibian costume was now a powerful protest icon for the left.

This symbol was spotted in many cities at anti-authoritarian protests recently. Amphibian costumes were present – along with other creatures – in major US cities. They were in rural communities and big international cities like Tokyo and London.

The frog costume was in high demand on major websites, and rose in price.

Controlling the Optics

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

This approach is based on what the professor terms a "disarming display" – often silly, it's a "disarming and charming" act that draws focus to your ideas without needing obviously explaining them. This is the silly outfit you wear, or the symbol you share.

Mr Bogad is both an expert on this topic and someone who uses these tactics. He authored a book called 'Tactical Performance', and taught workshops internationally.

"You could go back to historical periods – under oppressive regimes, they use absurdity to speak the truth indirectly and still have a layer of protection."

The theory of this approach is multi-faceted, Mr Bogad says.

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