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This revolution isn't televised, but it could have amphibious toes and protruding eyes.

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

Whilst demonstrations against the leadership carry on in US cities, participants have embraced the energy of a community costume parade. They've offered dance instruction, distributed snacks, and performed on unicycles, while officers watch.

Blending humour and political action – a strategy researchers term "tactical frivolity" – has historical precedent. However, it has emerged as a defining feature of American protest in this period, adopted by both left and right.

And one symbol has emerged as particularly salient – the frog. It originated after a video of an encounter between an individual in a frog suit and ICE agents in Portland, Oregon, went viral. And it has since spread to rallies across the country.

"There is much happening with that little inflatable frog," states an expert, a professor at UC Davis and an academic who focuses on political performance.

From Pepe to Portland

It is difficult to discuss protests and frogs without mentioning Pepe, a web comic frog adopted by online communities during a political race.

As this image first took off online, its purpose was to convey certain emotions. Subsequently, it was utilized to show support for a political figure, even a particular image shared by that figure himself, portraying Pepe with a signature suit and hair.

The frog was also portrayed in right-wing online communities in offensive ways, portrayed as a hate group member. Participants traded "unique frog images" and established cryptocurrency in his name. His catchphrase, "feels good, man", was used a shared phrase.

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

Its creator, the illustrator, has expressed about his unhappiness for its co-option. His creation was meant as simply a relaxed amphibian in this artist's universe.

This character first appeared in comic strips in the mid-2000s – apolitical and best known for a particular bathroom habit. A film, which documents Mr Furie's efforts to reclaim ownership of his creation, he said his drawing was inspired by his life with friends and roommates.

Early in his career, the artist tried uploading his work to early internet platforms, where the community began to borrow, remix and reinvent his character. As its popularity grew into fringe areas of online spaces, Mr Furie sought to reject his creation, including ending its life in a final panel.

However, its legacy continued.

"It shows that we don't control icons," explains the professor. "They transform and be reworked."

Previously, the association of Pepe resulted in frogs became a symbol for the right. But that changed on a day in October, when a confrontation between an activist wearing an inflatable frog costume and a federal agent in Portland, Oregon went viral.

This incident followed a directive to deploy military personnel to Portland, which was described as "war-ravaged". Protesters began to assemble in large numbers at a specific location, near a federal building.

Tensions were high and an immigration officer used irritant at a protester, targeting the ventilation of the puffy frog costume.

The individual, Seth Todd, responded with a joke, remarking he had tasted "something milder". But the incident spread everywhere.

The frog suit fit right in for Portland, famous for its quirky culture and left-wing protests that revel in the unusual – outdoor exercise, retro fitness classes, and unique parades. Its creed is "Embrace the Strange."

The costume became part of in a lawsuit between the federal government and Portland, which argued the deployment was unlawful.

While a ruling was issued that month that the president was within its rights to send personnel, a minority opinion disagreed, referencing in her ruling demonstrators' "well-known penchant for using unusual attire while voicing opposition."

"Some might view the majority's ruling, which accepts the description of Portland as a battlefield, as simply ridiculous," the dissenting judge opined. "Yet the outcome has serious implications."

The deployment was halted by courts just a month later, and troops withdrew from the city.

However, by that time, the frog was now a significant symbol of resistance for progressive movements.

This symbol appeared nationwide at No Kings protests recently. Frogs appeared – and unicorns and axolotls and dinosaurs – in major US cities. They were in small towns and global metropolises abroad.

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

Shaping the Optics

The link between both frogs together – is the interplay between the humorous, benign cartoon and serious intent. This is what "tactical frivolity."

The strategy rests on what Mr Bogad terms the "irresistible image" – usually humorous, it's a "disarming and charming" act that highlights a cause without needing obviously explaining them. This is the unusual prop you wear, or the meme circulated.

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

"One can look back to the Middle Ages – when people are dominated, they use absurdity to speak the truth indirectly and while maintaining a layer of protection."

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

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