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

It also might feature a unicorn's horn or the plumage of a chicken.

While demonstrations opposing the leadership persist in US cities, demonstrators are utilizing the vibe of a community costume parade. They've provided dance instruction, distributed treats, and ridden unicycles, as officers watch.

Combining levity and politics – an approach experts call "tactical frivolity" – has historical precedent. But it has become a signature characteristic of American protest in this period, embraced by various groups.

And one symbol has risen to become notably significant – the frog. It started after video footage of a clash between an individual in an inflatable frog and immigration enforcement agents in Portland, Oregon, became an internet sensation. From there, it proliferated to demonstrations across the country.

"A great deal going on with that little blow-up amphibian," states LM Bogad, a professor at University of California, Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who focuses on performance art.

The Path From Pepe to the Streets of Portland

It's challenging to examine demonstrations and amphibians without talking about Pepe, a web comic frog co-opted by online communities during a political race.

Initially, when the character initially spread online, people used it to convey certain emotions. Afterwards, it was deployed to endorse a candidate, including one notable meme endorsed by the candidate himself, showing Pepe with recognizable attire and hairstyle.

Pepe was also depicted in right-wing online communities in more extreme scenarios, portrayed as a historical dictator. Participants traded "unique frog images" and established cryptocurrency in his name. Its famous line, "feels good, man", became a coded signal.

But its beginnings were not so controversial.

Matt Furie, artist Matt Furie, has been vocal about his disapproval for how the image has been used. Pepe was supposed to be simply a relaxed amphibian in his series.

Pepe first appeared in comic strips in 2005 – non-political and famous for a particular bathroom habit. In 'Feels Good Man', which follows the creator's attempt to wrest back control of his work, he explained his drawing was inspired by his time with friends and roommates.

When he began, Mr Furie tried sharing his art to new websites, where the community began to copy, alter, and reinterpret the frog. As its popularity grew into fringe areas of the internet, Mr Furie sought to reject the frog, including ending its life in a comic strip.

However, its legacy continued.

"It proves that we don't control icons," explains Prof Bogad. "Their meaning can evolve and be reclaimed."

Previously, the popularity of this meme resulted in frogs were largely associated with conservative politics. This shifted on a day in October, when an incident between an activist dressed in an inflatable frog costume and a federal agent in Portland, Oregon captured global attention.

The moment came just days after a directive to deploy the National Guard to the city, which was described as "a warzone". Activists began to assemble in large numbers at a specific location, just outside of an ICE office.

Tensions were high and a officer deployed a chemical agent at a protester, directing it into the ventilation of the costume.

The protester, Seth Todd, quipped, remarking it tasted like "something milder". However, the video went viral.

The costume was not too unusual for the city, known for its eccentric vibe and activist demonstrations that revel in the unusual – outdoor exercise, retro fitness classes, and nude cycling groups. The city's unofficial motto is "Embrace the Strange."

The frog even played a role in a lawsuit between the administration and the city, which claimed the use of troops was unlawful.

Although a judge decided in October that the administration was within its rights to send personnel, a minority opinion disagreed, mentioning demonstrators' "propensity for wearing chicken suits when expressing dissent."

"It is easy to see the court's opinion, which accepts the government's characterization as a war zone, as merely absurd," Judge Susan Graber wrote. "But today's decision is not merely absurd."

The action was stopped legally soon after, and troops withdrew from the area.

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

This symbol appeared across the country at No Kings protests last autumn. Frogs appeared – along with other creatures – in major US cities. They were in small towns and big international cities like Tokyo and London.

The inflatable suit was in high demand on online retailers, and saw its cost increase.

Shaping the Optics

What connects both frogs together – is the dynamic between the silly, innocent image and underlying political significance. This is what "tactical frivolity."

The strategy is based on what the professor terms a "disarming display" – often silly, it's a "appealing and non-threatening" act that highlights a cause without needing obviously explaining them. This is the goofy costume you wear, or the meme you share.

Mr Bogad is both an expert on this topic and a veteran practitioner. 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 express dissent a little bit and still have a layer of protection."

The idea of this approach is multi-faceted, Mr Bogad explains.

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