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The revolution isn't televised, though it may feature webbed feet and bulging eyes.

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

As protests against the leadership persist in American cities, participants are adopting the spirit of a local block party. They've offered dance instruction, handed out snacks, and ridden unicycles, as officers watch.

Blending levity and political action – an approach social scientists refer to as "tactical frivolity" – isn't novel. But it has become a signature characteristic of American protest in this period, used by various groups.

One particular emblem has emerged as especially powerful – the frog. It originated when video footage of an encounter between an individual in an inflatable frog and ICE agents in Portland, Oregon, became an internet sensation. It subsequently appeared to protests across the country.

"There is much happening with that little blow-up amphibian," says an expert, a professor at University of California, Davis and an academic who focuses on political performance.

From Pepe to Portland

It's challenging to talk about protests and frogs without mentioning Pepe, an illustrated figure embraced by extremist movements throughout a political race.

When the meme gained popularity on the internet, its purpose was to express certain emotions. Afterwards, it was deployed to show support for a candidate, including one notable meme retweeted by the candidate personally, showing the frog with recognizable attire and hairstyle.

Images also circulated in digital spaces in more extreme scenarios, as a historical dictator. Online conservatives traded "rare Pepes" and set up digital currency in his name. His catchphrase, "that feels good", was deployed an inside joke.

However Pepe didn't start out this divisive.

Its creator, artist Matt Furie, has stated about his disapproval for its appropriation. Pepe was supposed to be simply a "chill frog-dude" in his series.

This character first appeared in an online comic in 2005 – apolitical and famous for a quirky behavior. In a documentary, which chronicles the creator's attempt to take back of his work, he stated his drawing came from his experiences with friends and roommates.

Early in his career, Mr Furie tried sharing his art to early internet platforms, where people online began to copy, alter, and reinterpret the frog. As its popularity grew into the more extreme corners of the internet, 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," says Prof Bogad. "They transform and be repurposed."

Until recently, the notoriety of this meme meant that frogs were largely associated with conservative politics. But that changed on a day in October, when a viral moment between a protestor wearing an inflatable frog costume and a federal agent in Portland captured global attention.

This incident came just days after an order to send the National Guard to the city, which was called "war-ravaged". Protesters began to gather in droves at a specific location, near an immigration enforcement facility.

Emotions ran high and an immigration officer sprayed irritant at the individual, targeting the opening of the puffy frog costume.

The protester, the man in the costume, responded with a joke, remarking he had tasted "something milder". Yet the footage spread everywhere.

The frog suit was not too unusual for the city, renowned 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 costume was also referenced in subsequent court proceedings between the administration and Portland, which contended the deployment was illegal.

Although the court ruled that month that the administration had the right to send personnel, a minority opinion disagreed, noting in her opinion the protesters' "well-known penchant for using unusual attire when expressing their disagreement."

"Some might view the court's opinion, which adopts the description of Portland as a battlefield, as merely absurd," the dissenting judge wrote. "But today's decision is not merely absurd."

The order was halted by courts soon after, and troops have reportedly departed the area.

But by then, the frog was now a significant symbol of resistance for progressive movements.

The inflatable suit was seen nationwide at No Kings protests recently. Amphibian costumes were present – and unicorns and axolotls and dinosaurs – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They were in rural communities and global metropolises abroad.

The frog costume was in high demand on major websites, and became more expensive.

Controlling the Visual Story

What brings Pepe and the protest frog – lies in the dynamic between the silly, innocent image and underlying political significance. This is what "tactical frivolity."

The tactic is based on what Mr Bogad terms the "irresistible image" – usually humorous, it's a "disarming and charming" display that highlights a cause without directly articulating them. This is the unusual prop used, or the meme you share.

The professor is an analyst on this topic and a veteran practitioner. He's written a book on the subject, and led seminars 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 this approach is three-fold, he explains.

When activists confront authority, a silly costume {takes control of|seizes|influences