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This revolution won't be televised, but it could have webbed feet and large eyes.

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

As rallies against the leadership continue in US cities, demonstrators have embraced the vibe of a neighborhood dress-up party. They've provided dance instruction, given away snacks, and ridden unicycles, as armed law enforcement observe.

Mixing humour and politics – a tactic social scientists call "tactical frivolity" – is not new. But it has become a signature characteristic of US demonstrations in recent years, adopted by both left and right.

A specific icon has proven to be notably significant – the frog. It started when recordings of a clash between a protester in an inflatable frog and ICE agents in Portland, Oregon, went viral. And it has since spread to rallies throughout the United States.

"A great deal happening with that humble frog costume," states LM Bogad, who teaches at University of California, Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who studies political performance.

The Path From Pepe to the Streets of Portland

It's challenging to examine protests and frogs without addressing Pepe, a cartoon character co-opted by online communities throughout a political race.

Initially, when the character gained popularity online, people used it to convey specific feelings. Later, it was deployed to endorse a political figure, even a particular image shared by that figure himself, showing the frog with a signature suit and hair.

Images also circulated in digital spaces in darker contexts, as a hate group member. Online conservatives traded "unique frog images" and set up digital currency in his name. Its famous line, "that feels good", became a coded signal.

But the character did not originate this divisive.

The artist behind it, artist Matt Furie, has been vocal about his unhappiness for how the image has been used. His creation was meant as simply a "chill frog-dude" in his series.

The frog first appeared in comic strips in the mid-2000s – non-political and best known for a particular bathroom habit. In a documentary, which follows Mr Furie's efforts to take back of his work, he stated his drawing was inspired by his experiences with companions.

When he began, Mr Furie experimented with uploading his work to early internet platforms, where the community began to borrow, remix and reinvent his character. When the meme proliferated into darker parts of the internet, the creator tried to disavow his creation, even killing him off in a final panel.

However, its legacy continued.

"It proves that creators cannot own symbols," states Prof Bogad. "They can change and shift and be reclaimed."

For a long time, the notoriety of Pepe meant that amphibian imagery became a symbol for the right. This shifted on a day in October, when a confrontation between an activist dressed in an inflatable frog costume and an immigration officer in Portland captured global attention.

This incident occurred shortly after a decision to send the National Guard to Portland, which was described as "war-ravaged". Protesters began to assemble in large numbers on a single block, just outside of a federal building.

Tensions were high and a officer used a chemical agent at a protester, targeting the air intake fan of the inflatable suit.

The individual, Seth Todd, responded with a joke, remarking it tasted like "spicier tamales". However, the video became a sensation.

The costume was somewhat typical for the city, famous for its unconventional spirit and left-wing protests that revel in the absurd – public yoga, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and nude cycling groups. A local saying is "Keep Portland Weird."

The frog became part of in subsequent court proceedings between the administration and Portland, which contended the use of troops overstepped authority.

While a ruling was issued that month that the administration was within its rights to send personnel, a minority opinion disagreed, noting in her opinion the protesters' "known tendency for using unusual attire while voicing opposition."

"Observers may be tempted this decision, which accepts the description of Portland as a battlefield, as simply ridiculous," the dissenting judge stated. "However, this ruling has serious implications."

The order was "permanently" blocked soon after, and troops are said to have left the city.

However, by that time, the amphibian costume was now a powerful symbol of resistance for progressive movements.

This symbol appeared in many cities at anti-authoritarian protests last autumn. Amphibian costumes were present – and unicorns and axolotls and dinosaurs – in major US cities. They appeared in small towns and big international cities like Tokyo and London.

The frog costume was backordered on major websites, and became more expensive.

Mastering the Narrative

What connects both frogs together – is the dynamic between the silly, innocent image and underlying political significance. This concept is "tactical frivolity."

The tactic rests on what the professor terms a "disarming display" – frequently absurd, it acts as a "disarming and charming" act that draws focus to your ideas without explicitly stating them. It's the goofy costume you wear, or the symbol circulated.

The professor is both an expert in the subject and someone who uses these tactics. He authored a text called 'Tactical Performance', and led seminars around the world.

"One can look back to the Middle Ages – under oppressive regimes, they use absurdity to speak the truth a little bit and while maintaining plausible deniability."

The purpose of this approach is three-fold, Mr Bogad says.

When protesters take on authority, a silly costume {takes control of|seizes|influences