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

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

As protests opposing the administration persist in US cities, demonstrators are utilizing the energy of a neighborhood dress-up party. They've provided dance instruction, given away snacks, and ridden unicycles, while armed law enforcement observe.

Blending humour and politics – an approach researchers term "tactical frivolity" – is not new. Yet it has transformed into a defining feature of American protest in this period, used by both left and right.

One particular emblem has proven to be particularly salient – the frog. It began after a video of a clash between a man in a frog suit and ICE agents in Portland, Oregon, spread online. It subsequently appeared to rallies throughout the United States.

"There is much happening with that small blow-up amphibian," says LM Bogad, a professor at UC Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who specialises in political performance.

From a Cartoon Frog to Portland

It is difficult to talk about protests and frogs without addressing Pepe, an illustrated figure adopted by extremist movements throughout a political race.

When the meme gained popularity on the internet, it was used to convey certain emotions. Later, it was utilized to show support for a candidate, including a particular image shared by that figure himself, depicting Pepe with recognizable attire and hairstyle.

Pepe was also depicted in digital spaces in darker contexts, portrayed as a historical dictator. Participants traded "rare Pepes" and established digital currency using its likeness. Its famous line, "that feels good", was used an inside joke.

However Pepe didn't start out so controversial.

The artist behind it, the illustrator, has expressed about his distaste for its co-option. Pepe was supposed to be simply an apolitical figure in his series.

Pepe first appeared in a series of comics in 2005 – apolitical and best known for a particular bathroom habit. In 'Feels Good Man', which follows the creator's attempt to wrest back control of his work, he said the character came from his time with friends and roommates.

Early in his career, Mr Furie tried sharing his art to new websites, where other users began to copy, alter, and reinterpret the frog. As Pepe spread into fringe areas of the internet, Mr Furie tried to disavow the frog, including ending its life in a final panel.

But Pepe lived on.

"This demonstrates the lack of control over icons," says the professor. "They can change and shift and be reworked."

Previously, the popularity of Pepe meant that frogs were largely associated with the right. But that changed in early October, when a confrontation between a protestor dressed in a blow-up amphibian suit and an immigration officer in Portland, Oregon went viral.

The moment came just days after a directive to send the National Guard to the city, which was called "a warzone". Demonstrators began to gather in droves outside a facility, near an ICE office.

Emotions ran high and an agent sprayed irritant at a protester, targeting the air intake fan of the inflatable suit.

The protester, the man in the costume, responded with a joke, remarking it tasted like "something milder". Yet the footage went viral.

The costume fit right in for the city, known for its unconventional spirit and left-wing protests that revel in the ridiculous – public yoga, retro fitness classes, and nude cycling groups. A local saying is "Embrace the Strange."

The frog was also referenced in the ensuing legal battle between the federal government and the city, which argued the deployment was unlawful.

Although a judge decided in October that the president was within its rights to deploy troops, one judge dissented, referencing in her ruling demonstrators' "known tendency for wearing chicken suits while voicing opposition."

"Some might view the majority's ruling, which adopts the government's characterization as a battlefield, as simply ridiculous," the dissenting judge wrote. "However, this ruling has serious implications."

The order was "permanently" blocked subsequently, and troops withdrew from the city.

But by then, the amphibian costume was now a significant protest icon for progressive movements.

The costume was seen across the country at No Kings protests that fall. Frogs appeared – and unicorns and axolotls and dinosaurs – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They were in small towns and global metropolises like Tokyo and London.

This item was in high demand on major websites, and rose in price.

Controlling the Optics

The link between the two amphibian symbols – lies in the relationship between the silly, innocent image and a deeper political meaning. This concept is "tactical frivolity."

This approach is based on what Mr Bogad calls the "irresistible image" – frequently absurd, it's a "disarming and charming" display that calls attention to your ideas without explicitly stating them. This is the goofy costume used, or the meme you share.

The professor is an analyst on this topic and someone who uses these tactics. He authored a text called 'Tactical Performance', and led seminars internationally.

"One can look back to the Middle Ages – when people are dominated, they use absurdity to speak the truth indirectly and while maintaining a layer of protection."

The idea of this approach is multi-faceted, Mr Bogad says.

As protesters confront authority, humorous attire {takes control of|seizes|influences