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This revolution isn't televised, but it could have amphibious toes and large eyes.

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

Whilst rallies against the administration persist in American cities, protesters are adopting the vibe of a community costume parade. They've provided salsa lessons, given away treats, and ridden unicycles, as police observe.

Combining humour and politics – a tactic social scientists refer to as "tactical frivolity" – is not new. But it has become a hallmark of American protest in the current era, used by various groups.

One particular emblem has risen to become particularly salient – the frog. It originated after video footage of a clash between an individual in an amphibian costume and federal officers in Portland, Oregon, went viral. From there, it proliferated to protests throughout the United States.

"There is much happening with that humble blow-up amphibian," states a professor, who teaches at University of California, Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who specialises in creative activism.

The Path From the Pepe Meme to Portland

It is difficult to discuss demonstrations and amphibians without talking about Pepe, an illustrated figure adopted by extremist movements during a previous presidential campaign.

Initially, when the character first took off on the internet, its purpose was to signal certain emotions. Subsequently, it was utilized to show support for a candidate, even one notable meme endorsed by the candidate himself, depicting Pepe with a signature suit and hair.

The frog was also portrayed in right-wing online communities in darker contexts, portrayed as a historical dictator. Online conservatives traded "unique frog images" and established cryptocurrency using its likeness. Its famous line, "that feels good", was deployed a shared phrase.

But the character did not originate so controversial.

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

This character first appeared in an online comic in 2005 – apolitical and notable for a quirky behavior. A film, which documents the creator's attempt to take back of his work, he stated the character came from his time with friends and roommates.

When he began, the artist experimented with sharing his art to new websites, where the community began to borrow, remix and reinvent the frog. When the meme proliferated into darker parts of the internet, Mr Furie tried to disavow the frog, including ending its life in a comic strip.

However, its legacy continued.

"It proves that we don't control imagery," says the professor. "They transform and be repurposed."

Previously, the notoriety of this meme meant that frogs became a symbol for the right. This shifted in early October, when a confrontation between a protestor wearing a blow-up amphibian suit and a federal agent in Portland captured global attention.

The event followed a directive to send the National Guard to the city, which was called "war-ravaged". Activists began to gather in droves at a specific location, near a federal building.

Tensions were high and an immigration officer deployed irritant at the individual, aiming directly into the ventilation of the costume.

The protester, the man in the costume, reacted humorously, remarking it tasted like "something milder". Yet the footage spread everywhere.

Mr Todd's attire was somewhat typical for Portland, known for its unconventional spirit and left-wing protests that delight in the absurd – outdoor exercise, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and nude cycling groups. Its creed is "Keep Portland Weird."

This symbol even played a role in a lawsuit between the federal government and Portland, which argued the use of troops overstepped authority.

While a judge decided that month that the administration had the right to send personnel, a minority opinion disagreed, referencing in her ruling demonstrators' "known tendency for donning inflatable costumes while voicing their disagreement."

"It is easy to see this decision, which accepts the government's characterization as a war zone, as simply ridiculous," she wrote. "However, this ruling has serious implications."

The action was stopped legally soon after, and troops withdrew from the area.

Yet already, the amphibian costume was now a powerful symbol of resistance for progressive movements.

The costume appeared across the country at No Kings protests last autumn. There were frogs – along with other creatures – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They appeared in small towns and big international cities abroad.

The frog costume was sold out on major websites, and rose in price.

Mastering the Visual Story

What brings both frogs together – is the dynamic between the humorous, benign cartoon and a deeper political meaning. This concept is "tactical frivolity."

The tactic rests on what the professor calls the "irresistible image" – often silly, it acts as a "disarming and charming" performance that highlights a message without needing obviously explaining them. It's the goofy costume you wear, or the meme you share.

Mr Bogad is both an expert on this topic and someone who uses these tactics. He's written a book called 'Tactical Performance', and taught workshops internationally.

"One can look back to the Middle Ages – under oppressive regimes, absurd humor is used to express dissent a little bit and while maintaining a layer of protection."

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

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