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The revolution isn't televised, though it may feature webbed feet and bulging eyes.

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

As demonstrations against the administration carry on in American cities, protesters are adopting the vibe of a neighborhood dress-up party. They have taught dance instruction, handed out treats, and ridden unicycles, while officers look on.

Mixing humour and politics – a tactic experts call "tactical frivolity" – is not new. Yet it has transformed into a signature characteristic of US demonstrations in recent years, embraced by both left and right.

A specific icon has risen to become especially powerful – the frog. It originated when recordings of an encounter between a man in an amphibian costume and immigration enforcement agents in Portland, Oregon, went viral. And it has since spread to rallies throughout the United States.

"A great deal at play with that little blow-up amphibian," states an expert, a professor at University of California, Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who specialises in creative activism.

From Pepe to the Streets of Portland

It's challenging to discuss protests and frogs without mentioning Pepe, an illustrated figure embraced by extremist movements throughout a political race.

When the meme first took off on the internet, it was used to signal specific feelings. Afterwards, it was deployed to endorse a candidate, even one notable meme shared by the candidate himself, depicting Pepe with recognizable attire and hairstyle.

Pepe was also depicted in digital spaces in darker contexts, portrayed as a hate group member. Online conservatives traded "unique frog images" and set up digital currency in his name. His catchphrase, "that feels good", was deployed a shared phrase.

Yet the character did not originate this divisive.

Its creator, artist Matt Furie, has been vocal about his unhappiness for its appropriation. The character was intended as simply an apolitical figure in this artist's universe.

This character first appeared in an online comic in the mid-2000s – non-political and notable for a particular bathroom habit. In 'Feels Good Man', which follows the creator's attempt to wrest back control of his work, he explained the character was inspired by his time with friends and roommates.

As he started out, Mr Furie tried sharing his art to new websites, where the community began to copy, alter, and reinterpret his character. As its popularity grew into the more extreme corners of the internet, Mr Furie sought to reject his creation, including ending its life in a final panel.

However, its legacy continued.

"It proves that creators cannot own imagery," explains the professor. "They transform and be reworked."

For a long time, the popularity of this meme resulted in amphibian imagery were largely associated with conservative politics. This shifted on a day in October, when a viral moment between an activist dressed in a blow-up amphibian suit and an immigration officer in Portland went viral.

This incident followed a directive to send military personnel to the city, which was described as "war-ravaged". Activists began to gather in droves at a specific location, near an immigration enforcement facility.

Tensions were high and a officer used irritant at a protester, directing it into the ventilation of the puffy frog costume.

Seth Todd, the man in the costume, quipped, saying it tasted like "spicier tamales". However, the video became a sensation.

The costume was somewhat typical for the city, renowned for its quirky culture and left-wing protests that embrace the absurd – public yoga, retro fitness classes, and unique parades. Its creed is "Embrace the Strange."

The costume even played a role in a lawsuit between the administration and Portland, which argued the use of troops overstepped authority.

While a ruling was issued in October that the president was within its rights to send personnel, a dissenting judge wrote, mentioning the protesters' "well-known penchant for wearing chicken suits while voicing dissent."

"Some might view the majority's ruling, which accepts the government's characterization as a battlefield, as merely absurd," the dissenting judge stated. "Yet the outcome has serious implications."

The deployment was "permanently" blocked soon after, and personnel are said to have left the area.

Yet already, the amphibian costume was now a significant anti-administration symbol for progressive movements.

The inflatable suit was seen in many cities 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 big international cities like Tokyo and London.

The inflatable suit was in high demand on online retailers, and became more expensive.

Mastering the Optics

What connects the two amphibian symbols – lies in the dynamic between the silly, innocent image and underlying political significance. Experts call this "tactical frivolity."

The tactic rests on what Mr Bogad terms the "irresistible image" – usually humorous, it acts as a "appealing and non-threatening" act that draws focus to a cause without needing directly articulating them. It's the unusual prop used, or the symbol you share.

Mr Bogad is both an expert in the subject and a veteran practitioner. He authored a book called 'Tactical Performance', and led seminars internationally.

"You could go back to historical periods – when people are dominated, absurd humor is used to express dissent indirectly and still have a layer of protection."

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

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