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The revolution isn't televised, but it could have webbed feet and bulging eyes.

Furthermore, it may involve a unicorn's horn or a chicken's feathers.

As demonstrations opposing the administration carry on in American cities, protesters have embraced the vibe of a local block party. They've offered salsa lessons, given away treats, and performed on unicycles, as police watch.

Combining comedy and political action – an approach social scientists term "tactical frivolity" – has historical precedent. But it has become a defining feature of protests in the United States in this period, adopted by both left and right.

One particular emblem has risen to become especially powerful – the frog. It originated after a video of an encounter between a protester in an amphibian costume and federal officers in Portland, Oregon, went viral. It subsequently appeared to demonstrations across the country.

"There is much at play with that humble blow-up amphibian," states a professor, who teaches at UC Davis and an academic who specialises in political performance.

The Path From the Pepe Meme to the Streets of Portland

It's hard to discuss protests and frogs without addressing Pepe, a web comic frog embraced by online communities during a political race.

When the meme first took off online, people used it to express certain emotions. Subsequently, it was deployed to show support for a political figure, even one notable meme retweeted by that figure personally, depicting the frog with recognizable attire and hairstyle.

Images also circulated in right-wing online communities in offensive ways, as a historical dictator. Users traded "unique frog images" and set up cryptocurrency in his name. Its famous line, "that feels good", became a shared phrase.

Yet its beginnings were not so controversial.

The artist behind it, the illustrator, has expressed about his disapproval for its appropriation. The character was intended as simply a relaxed amphibian in his series.

Pepe first appeared in an online comic in 2005 – apolitical and notable for a quirky behavior. In a documentary, which documents the creator's attempt to wrest back control of his creation, he explained his drawing came from his experiences with companions.

As he started out, the artist experimented with sharing his art to early internet platforms, where other users began to copy, alter, and reinterpret his character. As its popularity grew into darker parts of online spaces, Mr Furie sought to reject the frog, including ending its life in a final panel.

However, its legacy continued.

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

For a long time, the association of Pepe resulted in amphibian imagery were largely associated with conservative politics. But that changed in early October, when an incident between an activist wearing an inflatable frog costume and a federal agent in Portland spread rapidly online.

This incident followed an order to send military personnel to Portland, which was called "a warzone". Protesters began to assemble in large numbers at a specific location, just outside of a federal building.

The situation was tense and an agent sprayed a chemical agent at a protester, aiming directly into the air intake fan of the inflatable suit.

The individual, Seth Todd, responded with a joke, stating he had tasted "something milder". Yet the footage went viral.

The frog suit fit right in for the city, renowned for its unconventional spirit and activist demonstrations that revel in the ridiculous – public yoga, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and nude cycling groups. A local saying is "Embrace the Strange."

The frog became part of in subsequent court proceedings between the administration and Portland, which argued the deployment was illegal.

Although a judge decided in October that the president had the right to deploy troops, a dissenting judge wrote, mentioning the protesters' "known tendency for donning inflatable costumes while voicing dissent."

"Some might view the majority's ruling, which accepts the government's characterization as a battlefield, as merely absurd," the dissenting judge stated. "But today's decision goes beyond absurdity."

The order was halted by courts subsequently, and personnel withdrew from the area.

However, by that time, the frog was now a powerful anti-administration symbol for progressive movements.

The inflatable suit appeared nationwide at anti-authoritarian protests that fall. There were frogs – and unicorns and axolotls and dinosaurs – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They appeared in small towns and big international cities like Tokyo and London.

The inflatable suit was sold out on major websites, and rose in price.

Mastering the Narrative

The link between the two amphibian symbols – is the interplay between the silly, innocent image and underlying political significance. This is what "tactical frivolity."

The strategy is based on what the professor calls the "irresistible image" – usually humorous, it's a "appealing and non-threatening" performance that highlights a message without obviously explaining them. It's the unusual prop used, or the meme you share.

The professor is both an expert in the subject and someone who uses these tactics. He's written a book on the subject, and led seminars around the world.

"One can look back to the Middle Ages – when people are dominated, absurd humor is used to speak the truth a little bit and still have a layer of protection."

The purpose of such tactics is multi-faceted, he says.

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