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The revolution won't be broadcast, yet it might possess webbed feet and bulging eyes.

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

Whilst protests against the government carry on in American cities, participants are adopting the spirit of a local block party. They've offered dance instruction, distributed snacks, and ridden unicycles, as police look on.

Mixing levity and politics – an approach social scientists refer to as "tactical frivolity" – isn't novel. Yet it has transformed into a signature characteristic of protests in the United States in the current era, embraced by various groups.

A specific icon has proven to be especially powerful – the frog. It started after video footage of a confrontation between a protester in a frog suit and federal officers in the city of Portland, went viral. From there, it proliferated to rallies nationwide.

"There is much going on with that humble blow-up amphibian," says LM Bogad, a professor at UC Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who studies political performance.

From a Cartoon Frog to Portland

It's challenging to discuss demonstrations and amphibians without mentioning Pepe, a web comic frog embraced by extremist movements during an election cycle.

Initially, when the character initially spread on the internet, its purpose was to signal specific feelings. Later, it was utilized to show support for a candidate, even a particular image endorsed by that figure himself, showing the frog with recognizable attire and hairstyle.

The frog was also portrayed in certain internet forums in offensive ways, portrayed as a historical dictator. Online conservatives traded "unique frog images" and set up digital currency using its likeness. His catchphrase, "feels good, man", became a coded signal.

However Pepe didn't start out this divisive.

Its creator, the illustrator, has expressed about his distaste for its appropriation. His creation was meant as simply an apolitical figure in this artist's universe.

Pepe debuted in a series of comics in the mid-2000s – non-political and best known for a quirky behavior. In a documentary, which follows the creator's attempt to reclaim ownership of his work, he stated the character came from his time with friends and roommates.

As he started out, Mr Furie experimented with sharing his art to the nascent social web, where the community began to copy, alter, and reinterpret the frog. As its popularity grew into fringe areas of the internet, the creator attempted to distance himself from his creation, including ending its life in a comic strip.

But Pepe lived on.

"It shows the lack of control over imagery," says Prof Bogad. "They can change and shift and be repurposed."

For a long time, the association of Pepe resulted in frogs were largely associated with the right. This shifted on a day in October, when a confrontation between a protestor dressed in an inflatable frog costume and a federal agent in Portland, Oregon captured global attention.

This incident came just days after a decision to deploy military personnel to Portland, which was described as "war-ravaged". Protesters began to assemble in large numbers outside a facility, near an ICE office.

Emotions ran high and an immigration officer deployed pepper spray at a protester, targeting the air intake fan of the puffy frog costume.

Seth Todd, Seth Todd, quipped, remarking he had tasted "spicier tamales". However, the video became a sensation.

The costume was not too unusual for Portland, renowned for its unconventional spirit and left-wing protests that embrace the ridiculous – outdoor exercise, retro fitness classes, and unique parades. A local saying is "Embrace the Strange."

This symbol was also referenced in the ensuing legal battle between the administration and the city, which contended the use of troops overstepped authority.

Although a ruling was issued that month that the administration had the right to send personnel, one judge dissented, noting in her opinion the protesters' "well-known penchant for wearing chicken suits while voicing opposition."

"Observers may be tempted the court's opinion, which accepts the description of Portland as a war zone, as merely absurd," she wrote. "But today's decision goes beyond absurdity."

The order was stopped legally subsequently, and troops are said to have left the area.

However, by that time, the frog was now a significant protest icon for progressive movements.

The costume was spotted in many cities at No Kings protests recently. Frogs appeared – along with other creatures – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They were in small towns and big international cities like Tokyo and London.

This item was sold out on major websites, and saw its cost increase.

Controlling the Visual Story

What brings both frogs together – lies in the interplay between the humorous, benign cartoon and serious intent. This concept is "tactical frivolity."

The tactic rests on what Mr Bogad terms a "disarming display" – frequently absurd, it's a "appealing and non-threatening" display that draws focus to your ideas without needing obviously explaining them. This is the unusual prop used, or the symbol you share.

Mr Bogad is both an expert on this topic and someone who uses these tactics. He authored a book called 'Tactical Performance', and taught workshops around the world.

"One can look back to the Middle Ages – under oppressive regimes, absurd humor is used to express dissent indirectly and while maintaining plausible deniability."

The purpose of such tactics is three-fold, Mr Bogad says.

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