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This revolution may not be televised, though it may feature webbed feet and protruding eyes.

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

While protests opposing the administration persist in US cities, protesters have embraced the vibe of a local block party. They've provided salsa lessons, distributed treats, and ridden unicycles, as police look on.

Blending comedy and politics – a tactic experts refer to as "tactical frivolity" – has historical precedent. However, it has emerged as a hallmark of American protest in recent years, used by various groups.

One particular emblem has emerged as especially powerful – the frog. It originated after recordings of a clash between an individual in a frog suit and ICE agents in the city of Portland, spread online. From there, it proliferated to rallies throughout the United States.

"There's a lot going on with that humble frog costume," says an expert, who teaches at UC Davis and an academic who focuses on creative activism.

The Path From the Pepe Meme to Portland

It's challenging to discuss protests and frogs without addressing Pepe, a web comic frog co-opted by extremist movements throughout a previous presidential campaign.

When the character gained popularity on the internet, its purpose was to express specific feelings. Subsequently, it was utilized to show support for a political figure, even one notable meme endorsed by that figure personally, showing the frog with a signature suit and hair.

Images also circulated in digital spaces in darker contexts, as a historical dictator. Participants traded "unique frog images" and established cryptocurrency using its likeness. Its famous line, "that feels good", was deployed a shared phrase.

However the character did not originate so controversial.

The artist behind it, the illustrator, has expressed about his distaste for how the image has been used. The character was intended as simply a "chill frog-dude" in his series.

This character first appeared in an online comic in the mid-2000s – non-political and famous for a particular bathroom habit. In a documentary, which chronicles Mr Furie's efforts to reclaim ownership of his creation, he stated the character came from his life with companions.

When he began, the artist tried sharing his art to early internet platforms, where other users began to copy, alter, and reinterpret the frog. When the meme proliferated into the more extreme corners of online spaces, the creator sought to reject the frog, even killing him off in a comic strip.

Yet the frog persisted.

"It proves the lack of control over symbols," states Prof Bogad. "They transform and be reworked."

Previously, the popularity of Pepe meant that frogs became a symbol for conservative politics. A transformation occurred on a day in October, when an incident between an activist dressed in an inflatable frog costume and an immigration officer in Portland, Oregon went viral.

The event followed a decision to deploy military personnel to the city, which was described as "war-ravaged". Activists began to gather in droves on a single block, near an immigration enforcement facility.

Emotions ran high and a officer sprayed a chemical agent at a protester, targeting the opening of the costume.

Seth Todd, Seth Todd, responded with a joke, saying he had tasted "something milder". But the incident went viral.

The costume was somewhat typical for Portland, renowned for its unconventional spirit and activist demonstrations that embrace the ridiculous – outdoor exercise, retro fitness classes, and nude cycling groups. The city's unofficial motto is "Embrace the Strange."

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

While a ruling was issued that month that the president was within its rights to deploy troops, a minority opinion disagreed, referencing in her ruling the protesters' "propensity for using unusual attire when expressing dissent."

"Some might view the majority's ruling, which adopts the government's characterization as a battlefield, as merely absurd," she wrote. "However, this ruling has serious implications."

The deployment was halted by courts soon after, and personnel are said to have left the city.

But by then, the amphibian costume was now a powerful protest icon for progressive movements.

This symbol appeared in many cities at No Kings protests that fall. There were frogs – along with other creatures – in major US cities. They were in small towns and global metropolises like Tokyo and London.

This item was backordered on online retailers, and saw its cost increase.

Controlling the Narrative

What connects the two amphibian symbols – lies in the relationship between the humorous, benign cartoon and a deeper political meaning. Experts call this "tactical frivolity."

The tactic relies on what Mr Bogad calls a "disarming display" – often silly, it's a "appealing and non-threatening" display that draws focus to a cause without needing explicitly stating them. This is the silly outfit you wear, or the meme circulated.

Mr Bogad is both an expert in the subject and an experienced participant. He's written a book called 'Tactical Performance', and led seminars internationally.

"You could go back to historical periods – under oppressive regimes, they use absurdity to speak the truth a little bit and while maintaining a layer of protection."

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

As protesters confront the state, a silly costume {takes control of|seizes|influences