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This revolution may not be broadcast, but it could have amphibious toes and protruding eyes.

Furthermore, it may involve a unicorn's horn or the plumage of a chicken.

While rallies against the government carry on in American cities, demonstrators are adopting the vibe of a neighborhood dress-up party. They have taught dance instruction, distributed snacks, and ridden unicycles, as armed law enforcement watch.

Mixing levity and politics – a strategy researchers term "tactical frivolity" – is not new. Yet it has transformed into a defining feature of US demonstrations in recent years, used by both left and right.

A specific icon has proven to be notably significant – the frog. It began when recordings of an encounter between a man in a frog suit and federal officers in the city of Portland, became an internet sensation. It subsequently appeared to protests throughout the United States.

"There's a lot at play with that humble inflatable frog," states an expert, a professor at University of California, Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who studies political performance.

From Pepe to the Streets of Portland

It's hard to discuss demonstrations and amphibians without addressing Pepe, a cartoon character co-opted by extremist movements during a political race.

Initially, when the meme first took off on the internet, its purpose was to express certain emotions. Later, it was utilized to endorse a candidate, including a particular image retweeted by the candidate personally, showing Pepe with recognizable attire and hairstyle.

Images also circulated in right-wing online communities in offensive ways, as a historical dictator. Participants exchanged "rare Pepes" and established cryptocurrency in his name. His catchphrase, "that feels good", was deployed an inside joke.

However its beginnings were not as a political symbol.

Matt Furie, the illustrator, has been vocal about his unhappiness for how the image has been used. Pepe was supposed to be simply a "chill frog-dude" in his series.

Pepe first appeared in an online comic in 2005 – non-political and best known for a quirky behavior. In 'Feels Good Man', which follows the creator's attempt to wrest back control of his creation, he stated his drawing came from his time with companions.

Early in his career, the artist tried sharing his art to the nascent social web, where people online began to borrow, remix and reinvent his character. As its popularity grew into fringe areas of online spaces, the creator tried to disavow the frog, even killing him off in a final panel.

However, its legacy continued.

"It proves the lack of control over symbols," states the professor. "Their meaning can evolve and be repurposed."

Previously, the association of this meme meant that frogs were predominantly linked to the right. But that changed on a day in October, when a confrontation between a protestor dressed in a blow-up amphibian suit and a federal agent in Portland went viral.

The moment occurred shortly after an order to deploy military personnel to the city, which was described as "a warzone". Protesters began to assemble in large numbers outside a facility, near a federal building.

The situation was tense and an immigration officer deployed irritant at the individual, directing it into the opening of the costume.

Seth Todd, the man in the costume, quipped, remarking it tasted like "something milder". Yet the footage became a sensation.

Mr Todd's attire was somewhat typical for Portland, famous for its eccentric vibe and left-wing protests that revel in the ridiculous – outdoor exercise, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and nude cycling groups. The city's unofficial motto is "Embrace the Strange."

This symbol was also referenced in a lawsuit between the federal government and Portland, which claimed the deployment was illegal.

While a ruling was issued in October that the administration had the right to send personnel, a dissenting judge wrote, referencing in her ruling demonstrators' "known tendency for using unusual attire when expressing opposition."

"Some might view the court's opinion, which adopts the description of Portland as a war zone, as merely absurd," she wrote. "However, this ruling has serious implications."

The deployment was "permanently" blocked soon after, and troops withdrew from the area.

However, by that time, the frog had become a significant protest icon for progressive movements.

The costume was spotted across the country 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 global metropolises like Tokyo and London.

The inflatable suit was sold out on online retailers, and rose in price.

Shaping the Optics

The link between both frogs together – lies in the interplay between the silly, innocent image and underlying political significance. This is what "tactical frivolity."

This approach rests on what the professor terms a "disarming display" – often silly, it's a "disarming and charming" act that calls attention to a cause without needing obviously explaining them. It's the goofy costume you wear, or the symbol circulated.

The professor is both an expert on this topic and a veteran practitioner. He authored a text on the subject, and led seminars internationally.

"You could go 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 purpose of this approach is three-fold, he explains.

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