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The revolution isn't broadcast, but it could have amphibious toes and protruding eyes.

Additionally, it could include the horn of a unicorn or the plumage of a chicken.

Whilst rallies opposing the leadership carry on in US cities, demonstrators are adopting the energy of a community costume parade. They've provided dance instruction, distributed treats, and performed on unicycles, as armed law enforcement observe.

Combining levity and political action – a tactic researchers call "tactical frivolity" – has historical precedent. But it has become a signature characteristic of US demonstrations in the current era, used by all sides of the political spectrum.

And one symbol has emerged as especially powerful – the frog. It started after a video of a clash between an individual in an amphibian costume and immigration enforcement agents in Portland, Oregon, spread online. From there, it proliferated to rallies across the country.

"There is much happening with that humble inflatable frog," notes a professor, a professor at UC Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who focuses on political performance.

The Path From a Cartoon Frog to Portland

It's challenging to examine demonstrations and amphibians without mentioning Pepe, a cartoon character adopted by far-right groups throughout a previous presidential campaign.

As the character initially spread online, it was used to express specific feelings. Afterwards, it was utilized to endorse a candidate, even a particular image retweeted by the candidate personally, depicting Pepe with recognizable attire and hairstyle.

The frog was also portrayed in right-wing online communities in more extreme scenarios, as a hate group member. Online conservatives traded "rare Pepes" and set up digital currency using its likeness. His catchphrase, "feels good, man", became an inside joke.

Yet its beginnings were not so controversial.

The artist behind it, artist Matt Furie, has expressed about his disapproval for how the image has been used. The character was intended as simply an apolitical figure in his comic world.

Pepe debuted in comic strips in the mid-2000s – non-political and famous for a quirky behavior. In a documentary, which chronicles Mr Furie's efforts to reclaim ownership of his creation, he explained the character was inspired by his experiences with friends and roommates.

When he began, Mr Furie tried uploading his work to early internet platforms, where the community began to borrow, remix and reinvent the frog. As its popularity grew into the more extreme corners of online spaces, Mr Furie attempted to distance himself from his creation, including ending its life in a comic strip.

However, its legacy continued.

"It shows the lack of control over imagery," says the professor. "They can change and shift and be reworked."

For a long time, the association of this meme resulted in amphibian imagery were largely associated with the right. This shifted on a day in October, when an incident between a protestor dressed in an inflatable frog costume and an immigration officer in Portland captured global attention.

The moment occurred shortly after a decision to deploy military personnel to Portland, which was described as "a warzone". Protesters began to assemble in large numbers at a specific location, near an ICE office.

Tensions were high and an agent used irritant at a protester, aiming directly into the ventilation of the inflatable suit.

Seth Todd, the man in the costume, responded with a joke, stating it tasted like "something milder". However, the video became a sensation.

Mr Todd's attire fit right in for Portland, renowned for its eccentric vibe and left-wing protests that revel in the absurd – public yoga, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and unique parades. Its creed is "Embrace the Strange."

The costume was also referenced in the ensuing legal battle between the administration and the city, which contended the use of troops was illegal.

While the court ruled that month that the administration was within its rights to send personnel, one judge dissented, referencing in her ruling the protesters' "well-known penchant for wearing chicken suits when expressing dissent."

"Some might view the majority's ruling, which adopts the government's characterization as a war zone, as simply ridiculous," the dissenting judge stated. "But today's decision goes beyond absurdity."

The deployment was halted by courts just a month later, and troops are said to have left the city.

Yet already, the frog was now a significant symbol of resistance for the left.

This symbol was spotted nationwide at anti-authoritarian protests recently. Amphibian costumes were present – and unicorns and axolotls and dinosaurs – in major US cities. They appeared in small towns and global metropolises like Tokyo and London.

This item was in high demand on major websites, and became more expensive.

Controlling the Visual Story

The link between Pepe and the protest frog – is the dynamic between the silly, innocent image and a deeper political meaning. This concept is "tactical frivolity."

The strategy rests on what Mr Bogad terms a "disarming display" – often silly, it acts as a "appealing and non-threatening" act that calls attention to your ideas without directly articulating them. This is the silly outfit you wear, or the symbol circulated.

Mr Bogad is an analyst in the subject and someone who uses these tactics. He's written a book called 'Tactical Performance', and taught workshops internationally.

"One can look back to historical periods – under oppressive regimes, they use absurdity to express dissent a little bit and while maintaining a layer of protection."

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

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