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This revolution may not be broadcast, yet it might possess webbed feet and bulging eyes.

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

While rallies opposing the leadership persist in US cities, participants are adopting the energy of a neighborhood dress-up party. They've provided salsa lessons, handed out treats, and performed on unicycles, as officers look on.

Combining comedy and political action – an approach experts refer to as "tactical frivolity" – isn't novel. However, it has emerged as a hallmark of US demonstrations in this period, adopted by various groups.

And one symbol has emerged as particularly salient – the frog. It started when video footage of a confrontation between a protester in an inflatable frog and federal officers in Portland, Oregon, went viral. From there, it proliferated to protests throughout the United States.

"There's a lot going on with that little blow-up amphibian," says LM Bogad, who teaches at UC Davis and an academic who studies creative activism.

From the Pepe Meme to Portland

It's challenging to examine demonstrations and amphibians without mentioning Pepe, an illustrated figure adopted by online communities throughout a political race.

When the character initially spread on the internet, it was used to convey specific feelings. Afterwards, it was utilized to endorse a candidate, including a particular image endorsed by that figure himself, showing the frog with a signature suit and hair.

Pepe was also depicted in right-wing online communities in more extreme scenarios, as a historical dictator. Users exchanged "unique frog images" and established digital currency in his name. Its famous line, "that feels good", became an inside joke.

But Pepe didn't start out this divisive.

Matt Furie, artist Matt Furie, has expressed about his distaste for how the image has been used. Pepe was supposed to be simply a relaxed amphibian in his comic world.

The frog first appeared in a series of comics in 2005 – apolitical and famous for a particular bathroom habit. In a documentary, which chronicles the creator's attempt to reclaim ownership of his creation, he stated the character was inspired by his life with companions.

As he started out, the artist experimented with uploading his work to early internet platforms, where people online began to borrow, remix and reinvent his character. As its popularity grew into darker parts of the internet, the creator attempted to distance himself from the frog, including ending its life in a final panel.

Yet the frog persisted.

"It shows the lack of control over symbols," states Prof Bogad. "Their meaning can evolve and be repurposed."

Previously, the association of this meme meant that amphibian imagery became a symbol for the right. But that changed recently, when a viral moment between an activist dressed in a blow-up amphibian suit and a federal agent in Portland, Oregon went viral.

The moment followed a decision to deploy the National Guard to the city, which was called "war-ravaged". Activists began to congregate at a specific location, just outside of an immigration enforcement facility.

Emotions ran high and an immigration officer used irritant at the individual, directing it into the air intake fan of the puffy frog costume.

The individual, the man in the costume, quipped, stating he had tasted "something milder". However, the video spread everywhere.

Mr Todd's attire was somewhat typical for Portland, famous for its eccentric vibe and left-wing protests that revel in the unusual – outdoor exercise, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and nude cycling groups. Its creed is "Keep Portland Weird."

The frog even played a role in the ensuing legal battle between the administration and Portland, which contended the deployment was unlawful.

While the court ruled that month that the president had the right to send personnel, a minority opinion disagreed, noting in her opinion demonstrators' "propensity for using unusual attire while voicing opposition."

"Some might view the court's opinion, which adopts the description of Portland as a war zone, as merely absurd," she opined. "Yet the outcome is not merely absurd."

The deployment was stopped legally subsequently, and troops withdrew from the city.

Yet already, the amphibian costume had transformed into a powerful symbol of resistance for progressive movements.

The inflatable suit appeared nationwide at anti-authoritarian protests recently. Amphibian costumes were present – and unicorns and axolotls and dinosaurs – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They appeared in rural communities and big international cities like Tokyo and London.

The frog costume was backordered on online retailers, and saw its cost increase.

Controlling the Narrative

The link between the two amphibian symbols – lies in the dynamic between the humorous, benign cartoon and underlying political significance. Experts call this "tactical frivolity."

The strategy relies on what Mr Bogad terms the "irresistible image" – usually humorous, it acts as a "appealing and non-threatening" performance that calls attention to a message without directly articulating them. It's the unusual prop used, or the meme you share.

Mr Bogad is both an expert on this topic and someone who uses these tactics. He's written a text on the subject, and taught workshops internationally.

"You could go back to the Middle Ages – under oppressive regimes, they use absurdity to express dissent indirectly and still have a layer of protection."

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

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