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This revolution isn't broadcast, yet it might possess amphibious toes and bulging eyes.

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

Whilst demonstrations against the administration continue in American cities, participants have embraced the vibe of a local block party. They've offered dance instruction, distributed snacks, and ridden unicycles, while police watch.

Blending humour and political action – a strategy experts call "tactical frivolity" – has historical precedent. However, it has emerged as a defining feature of US demonstrations in recent years, used by both left and right.

And one symbol has proven to be notably significant – the frog. It originated after video footage of a confrontation between a man in a frog suit and ICE agents in Portland, Oregon, spread online. From there, it proliferated to rallies throughout the United States.

"There's a lot happening with that little blow-up amphibian," says LM Bogad, who teaches at University of California, Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who focuses on political performance.

The Path From a Cartoon Frog to Portland

It's hard to talk about demonstrations and amphibians without mentioning Pepe, an illustrated figure co-opted by far-right groups during a previous presidential campaign.

As the character first took off online, its purpose was to express specific feelings. Afterwards, it was utilized to show support for a candidate, even a particular image retweeted by the candidate personally, portraying Pepe with recognizable attire and hairstyle.

The frog was also portrayed in right-wing online communities in more extreme scenarios, as a historical dictator. Participants exchanged "rare Pepes" and established cryptocurrency in his name. Its famous line, "feels good, man", was used an inside joke.

But Pepe didn't start out so controversial.

Matt Furie, artist Matt Furie, has expressed about his unhappiness for how the image has been used. The character was intended as simply a "chill frog-dude" in his series.

Pepe debuted in comic strips in the mid-2000s – apolitical and notable for a quirky behavior. In a documentary, which chronicles the creator's attempt to take back of his work, he explained the character came from his experiences with companions.

When he began, the artist tried uploading his work to new websites, where people online began to copy, alter, and reinterpret the frog. When the meme proliferated into darker parts of online spaces, Mr Furie tried to disavow the frog, even killing him off in a comic strip.

Yet the frog persisted.

"It shows that creators cannot own imagery," says the professor. "Their meaning can evolve and be reclaimed."

Until recently, the association of Pepe resulted in frogs became a symbol for the right. This shifted in early October, when a confrontation between an activist wearing a blow-up amphibian suit and a federal agent in Portland went viral.

The event occurred shortly after a directive to send military personnel to Portland, which was called "a warzone". Activists began to gather in droves outside a facility, just outside of an ICE office.

The situation was tense and an immigration officer deployed pepper spray at a protester, aiming directly into the ventilation of the inflatable suit.

Seth Todd, the man in the costume, quipped, stating it tasted like "something milder". But the incident spread everywhere.

The frog suit was not too unusual for the city, known for its quirky culture and left-wing protests that embrace the absurd – public yoga, retro fitness classes, and unique parades. Its creed is "Embrace the Strange."

The costume became part of in a lawsuit between the administration and the city, which contended the use of troops overstepped authority.

Although a ruling was issued in October that the president was within its rights to deploy troops, a dissenting judge wrote, referencing in her ruling demonstrators' "propensity for wearing chicken suits while voicing opposition."

"Observers may be tempted this decision, which accepts the government's characterization as a battlefield, as merely absurd," Judge Susan Graber opined. "However, this ruling has serious implications."

The action was stopped legally subsequently, and troops are said to have left the city.

Yet already, the amphibian costume was now a potent symbol of resistance for the left.

The costume appeared across the country at No Kings protests recently. Frogs appeared – along with other creatures – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They appeared in rural communities and global metropolises like Tokyo and London.

The inflatable suit was sold out on online retailers, and saw its cost increase.

Shaping the Narrative

What connects Pepe and the protest frog – lies in the relationship between the humorous, benign cartoon and a deeper political meaning. Experts call this "tactical frivolity."

The tactic rests on what Mr Bogad terms the "irresistible image" – often silly, it's a "appealing and non-threatening" display that draws focus to your ideas without directly articulating them. It's the silly outfit you wear, or the symbol circulated.

Mr Bogad is both an expert in the subject and someone who uses these tactics. He's written a text called 'Tactical Performance', and taught workshops around the world.

"One can look back to historical periods – under oppressive regimes, they use absurdity to express dissent indirectly and still have a layer of protection."

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

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