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This revolution isn't televised, but it could have amphibious toes and bulging eyes.

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

Whilst protests against the administration persist in American cities, demonstrators are adopting the spirit of a local block party. They've provided dance instruction, distributed treats, and ridden unicycles, while police watch.

Combining levity and politics – an approach social scientists term "tactical frivolity" – isn't novel. However, it has emerged as a signature characteristic of American protest in the current era, embraced by various groups.

And one symbol has emerged as particularly salient – the frog. It began when video footage of a confrontation between an individual in an inflatable frog and ICE agents in Portland, Oregon, spread online. From there, it proliferated to demonstrations throughout the United States.

"A great deal at play with that small inflatable frog," states LM Bogad, a professor at UC Davis and an academic who studies creative activism.

From the Pepe Meme to Portland

It's challenging to discuss demonstrations and amphibians without addressing Pepe, an illustrated figure co-opted by far-right groups throughout a political race.

When this image initially spread online, it was used to express certain emotions. Afterwards, it was utilized to express backing for a candidate, including one notable meme shared by the candidate personally, portraying the frog with a signature suit and hair.

The frog was also portrayed in right-wing online communities in darker contexts, portrayed as a historical dictator. Users traded "unique frog images" and established cryptocurrency in his name. His catchphrase, "feels good, man", was deployed an inside joke.

But the character did not originate as a political symbol.

The artist behind it, artist Matt Furie, has been vocal about his distaste for how the image has been used. The character was intended as simply an apolitical figure in his comic world.

This character debuted in an online comic in the mid-2000s – apolitical and famous for a quirky behavior. In 'Feels Good Man', which follows Mr Furie's efforts to wrest back control of his work, he stated the character was inspired by his experiences with friends and roommates.

When he began, the artist experimented with sharing his art to new websites, where the community began to copy, alter, and reinterpret his character. As Pepe spread into fringe areas of the internet, the creator attempted to distance himself from his creation, even killing him off in a final panel.

However, its legacy continued.

"This demonstrates that creators cannot own symbols," says Prof Bogad. "Their meaning can evolve and be repurposed."

For a long time, the association of Pepe meant that frogs were predominantly linked to conservative politics. A transformation occurred recently, when a confrontation between a protestor wearing an inflatable frog costume and an immigration officer in Portland, Oregon captured global attention.

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

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

Seth Todd, the man in the costume, reacted humorously, saying it tasted like "spicier tamales". However, the video became a sensation.

The frog suit fit right in for Portland, famous for its quirky culture and activist demonstrations that revel in the unusual – public yoga, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and unique parades. The city's unofficial motto is "Keep Portland Weird."

The frog even played a role in subsequent court proceedings between the federal government and the city, which claimed the deployment was unlawful.

Although a judge decided that month that the president was within its rights to send personnel, one judge dissented, mentioning the protesters' "propensity for using unusual attire while voicing opposition."

"It is easy to see this decision, which adopts the government's characterization as a battlefield, as simply ridiculous," she stated. "But today's decision has serious implications."

The action was "permanently" blocked subsequently, and personnel have reportedly departed the city.

Yet already, the frog had become a significant protest icon for the left.

The costume appeared across the country at No Kings protests last autumn. Amphibian costumes were present – and unicorns and axolotls and dinosaurs – in major US cities. They appeared in rural communities and big international cities like Tokyo and London.

This item was backordered on online retailers, and became more expensive.

Shaping the Optics

What connects the two amphibian symbols – is the relationship between the silly, innocent image and a deeper political meaning. This is what "tactical frivolity."

The tactic relies on what the professor calls a "disarming display" – frequently absurd, it acts as a "appealing and non-threatening" act that highlights your ideas without obviously explaining them. This is the goofy costume used, or the symbol you share.

Mr Bogad is both an expert on this topic and someone who uses these tactics. He authored a text on the subject, and led seminars internationally.

"One can look back to historical periods – when people are dominated, they use absurdity to express dissent a little bit and while maintaining plausible deniability."

The idea of this approach is multi-faceted, he explains.

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