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This revolution won't be broadcast, but it could have webbed feet and protruding eyes.

Furthermore, it may involve a unicorn's horn or a chicken's feathers.

While protests against the leadership persist in US cities, protesters are utilizing the energy of a community costume parade. They've provided salsa lessons, handed out treats, and ridden unicycles, while police observe.

Blending levity and politics – an approach experts refer to as "tactical frivolity" – is not new. But it has become a defining feature of US demonstrations in this period, used by all sides of the political spectrum.

A specific icon has risen to become particularly salient – the frog. It originated after a video of an encounter between an individual in an inflatable frog and ICE agents in Portland, Oregon, spread online. From there, it proliferated to demonstrations nationwide.

"There is much at play with that humble blow-up amphibian," notes LM Bogad, who teaches at UC Davis and an academic who studies performance art.

The Path From the Pepe Meme to Portland

It is difficult to talk about protests and frogs without talking about Pepe, an illustrated figure adopted by extremist movements during a political race.

Initially, when this image gained popularity online, its purpose was to signal certain emotions. Afterwards, it was utilized to endorse a candidate, even a particular image endorsed by that figure himself, showing Pepe with recognizable attire and hairstyle.

Images also circulated in digital spaces in darker contexts, portrayed as a hate group member. Participants exchanged "rare Pepes" and established digital currency in his name. His catchphrase, "feels good, man", was deployed a coded signal.

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

The artist behind it, artist Matt Furie, has been vocal about his distaste for its appropriation. Pepe was supposed to be simply a relaxed amphibian in his series.

The frog first appeared in an online comic in 2005 – apolitical and notable for a particular bathroom habit. In a documentary, which documents the creator's attempt to wrest back control of his creation, he explained his drawing came from his time with friends and roommates.

As he started out, the artist experimented with uploading his work to early internet platforms, where the community began to copy, alter, and reinterpret his character. As Pepe spread into darker parts of online spaces, Mr Furie tried to disavow his creation, including ending its life in a final panel.

However, its legacy continued.

"It proves that we don't control symbols," says Prof Bogad. "They can change and shift and be reclaimed."

Previously, the popularity of this meme resulted in amphibian imagery became a symbol for conservative politics. This shifted recently, when a viral moment between a protestor dressed in an inflatable frog costume and a federal agent in Portland, Oregon captured global attention.

The event came just days after a directive to deploy the National Guard to the city, which was called "a warzone". Protesters began to gather in droves on a single block, near an immigration enforcement facility.

Tensions were high and an immigration officer deployed pepper spray at a protester, targeting the opening of the inflatable suit.

The individual, the man in the costume, reacted humorously, remarking it tasted like "something milder". Yet the footage went viral.

The frog suit was somewhat typical for the city, known for its quirky culture and left-wing protests that delight in the absurd – public yoga, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and nude cycling groups. Its creed is "Embrace the Strange."

The costume became part of in the ensuing legal battle between the administration and the city, which claimed the use of troops was illegal.

Although the court ruled in October that the administration was within its rights to deploy troops, a minority opinion disagreed, mentioning the protesters' "propensity for donning inflatable costumes while voicing their disagreement."

"Some might view the court's opinion, which adopts the government's characterization as a war zone, as merely absurd," the dissenting judge stated. "But today's decision has serious implications."

The deployment was "permanently" blocked subsequently, and troops have reportedly departed the area.

But by then, the amphibian costume had become a powerful symbol of resistance for the left.

The inflatable suit appeared nationwide at No Kings protests recently. Frogs appeared – along with other creatures – in major US cities. They were in rural communities and big international cities abroad.

The inflatable suit was sold out on online retailers, and rose in price.

Mastering the Visual Story

What connects Pepe and the protest frog – is the relationship between the humorous, benign cartoon and serious intent. Experts call this "tactical frivolity."

The tactic is based on what the professor calls the "irresistible image" – frequently absurd, it's a "appealing and non-threatening" act that calls attention to your ideas without directly articulating them. It's the goofy costume you wear, or the symbol circulated.

Mr Bogad is both an expert in the subject and a veteran practitioner. He's written a text on the subject, and led seminars around the world.

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

The purpose of such tactics is multi-faceted, he explains.

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