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The revolution may not be broadcast, yet it might possess webbed feet and protruding eyes.

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

Whilst demonstrations opposing the government continue in US cities, demonstrators are adopting the spirit of a neighborhood dress-up party. They have taught dance instruction, handed out snacks, and performed on unicycles, while armed law enforcement watch.

Mixing humour and politics – an approach researchers call "tactical frivolity" – has historical precedent. However, it has emerged as a hallmark of protests in the United States in the current era, adopted by both left and right.

And one symbol has proven to be particularly salient – the frog. It began after a video of a confrontation between a man in an amphibian costume and federal officers in Portland, Oregon, went viral. From there, it proliferated to rallies throughout the United States.

"There is much going on with that small blow-up amphibian," notes LM Bogad, a professor at UC Davis and an academic who studies creative activism.

The Path From a Cartoon Frog to Portland

It's challenging to discuss demonstrations and amphibians without mentioning Pepe, an illustrated figure adopted by extremist movements throughout a previous presidential campaign.

Initially, when the character first took off on the internet, it was used to signal certain emotions. Subsequently, it was utilized to show support for a candidate, including a particular image retweeted by the candidate himself, depicting Pepe with a signature suit and hair.

Images also circulated in digital spaces in offensive ways, as a hate group member. Online conservatives exchanged "unique frog images" and established cryptocurrency using its likeness. Its famous line, "feels good, man", was deployed a shared phrase.

Yet Pepe didn't start out so controversial.

The artist behind it, the illustrator, has expressed about his disapproval for how the image has been used. The character was intended as simply a relaxed amphibian in his series.

The frog debuted in an online comic in 2005 – apolitical and famous for a quirky behavior. In a documentary, which documents Mr Furie's efforts to wrest back control of his work, he explained his drawing came from his experiences with friends and roommates.

Early in his career, Mr Furie experimented with uploading his work to the nascent social web, where the community began to borrow, remix and reinvent his character. As Pepe spread into darker parts of online spaces, the creator sought to reject the frog, even killing him off in a final panel.

But Pepe lived on.

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

Until recently, the popularity of this meme meant that frogs were largely associated with the right. This shifted in early October, when a viral moment between an activist wearing an inflatable frog costume and an immigration officer in Portland went viral.

The event followed a decision to deploy the National Guard to Portland, which was called "war-ravaged". Demonstrators began to gather in droves on a single block, near a federal building.

The situation was tense and an immigration officer sprayed pepper spray at the individual, directing it into the opening of the puffy frog costume.

Seth Todd, the man in the costume, quipped, remarking he had tasted "something milder". However, the video became a sensation.

The frog suit was not too unusual for the city, renowned for its unconventional spirit and activist demonstrations that revel in the absurd – outdoor exercise, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and nude cycling groups. A local saying is "Keep Portland Weird."

The frog became part of in the ensuing legal battle between the federal government and Portland, which contended the deployment was unlawful.

While a ruling was issued in October that the administration was within its rights to send personnel, a dissenting judge wrote, referencing in her ruling demonstrators' "propensity for using unusual attire when expressing dissent."

"Observers may be tempted the majority's ruling, which accepts the description of Portland as a war zone, as simply ridiculous," Judge Susan Graber stated. "But today's decision goes beyond absurdity."

The order was halted by courts subsequently, and personnel are said to have left the area.

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

The costume was seen across the country at No Kings protests last autumn. Amphibian costumes were present – and unicorns and axolotls and dinosaurs – in major US cities. They were in small towns and global metropolises like Tokyo and London.

This item was in high demand on online retailers, and rose in price.

Shaping the Visual Story

The link between Pepe and the protest frog – lies in the interplay between the silly, innocent image and underlying political significance. This is what "tactical frivolity."

The strategy relies on what Mr Bogad calls the "irresistible image" – often silly, it acts as a "appealing and non-threatening" display that highlights a cause without directly articulating them. It's the silly outfit used, or the meme you share.

The professor is both an expert in the subject and someone who uses these tactics. He authored a book on the subject, and led seminars around the world.

"You could go back to the Middle Ages – when people are dominated, absurd humor is used to speak the truth indirectly and still have plausible deniability."

The purpose of this approach is three-fold, he explains.

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