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This revolution may not be broadcast, yet it might possess webbed feet and large eyes.

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

While protests against the government continue in American cities, participants have embraced the energy of a local block party. They have taught dance instruction, handed out snacks, and ridden unicycles, while officers observe.

Blending humour and political action – a strategy researchers call "tactical frivolity" – has historical precedent. But it has become a defining feature of American protest in recent years, adopted by both left and right.

And one symbol has risen to become notably significant – the frog. It began when a video of an encounter between an individual in an amphibian costume and ICE agents in the city of Portland, became an internet sensation. From there, it proliferated to protests across the country.

"There's a lot at play with that humble inflatable frog," notes a professor, a professor at University of California, Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who studies creative activism.

From Pepe to Portland

It is difficult to examine protests and frogs without mentioning Pepe, a cartoon character co-opted by online communities during an election cycle.

Initially, when the character initially spread on the internet, its purpose was to express specific feelings. Afterwards, its use evolved to show support for a political figure, including a particular image shared by the candidate personally, depicting Pepe with recognizable attire and hairstyle.

Images also circulated in digital spaces in more extreme scenarios, as a historical dictator. Participants traded "rare Pepes" and set up digital currency using its likeness. His catchphrase, "that feels good", was deployed a shared phrase.

But the character did not originate this divisive.

Matt Furie, the illustrator, has stated about his disapproval for how the image has been used. His creation was meant as simply an apolitical figure in his comic world.

Pepe first appeared in an online comic in 2005 – non-political and best known for a quirky behavior. In 'Feels Good Man', which documents Mr Furie's efforts to take back of his creation, he stated the character came from his time with companions.

As he started out, the artist tried uploading his work to early internet platforms, where people online began to borrow, remix and reinvent his character. As its popularity grew into fringe areas of the internet, Mr Furie sought to reject his creation, even killing him off in a comic strip.

However, its legacy continued.

"This demonstrates the lack of control over icons," says the professor. "They transform and be reclaimed."

For a long time, the notoriety of Pepe meant that frogs were predominantly linked to conservative politics. A transformation occurred recently, when an incident between an activist wearing a blow-up amphibian suit and a federal agent in Portland spread rapidly online.

The moment occurred shortly after an order to send military personnel to Portland, which was called "war-ravaged". Protesters began to congregate outside a facility, near a federal building.

Tensions were high and a officer sprayed a chemical agent at a protester, aiming directly into the air intake fan of the inflatable suit.

Seth Todd, Seth Todd, reacted humorously, saying it tasted like "spicier tamales". Yet the footage became a sensation.

The frog suit was not too unusual for the city, famous for its eccentric vibe and left-wing protests that embrace the unusual – outdoor exercise, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and nude cycling groups. A local saying is "Keep Portland Weird."

The frog even played a role in subsequent court proceedings between the administration and the city, which argued the deployment overstepped authority.

While a ruling was issued in October that the president was within its rights to send personnel, one judge dissented, noting in her opinion demonstrators' "well-known penchant for wearing chicken suits 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 wrote. "However, this ruling has serious implications."

The action was halted by courts soon after, and troops have reportedly departed the area.

But by then, the amphibian costume was now a potent symbol of resistance for the left.

The inflatable suit was spotted across the country at anti-authoritarian protests that fall. Amphibian costumes were present – and unicorns and axolotls and dinosaurs – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They were in rural communities and big international cities abroad.

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

Controlling the Optics

What connects the two amphibian symbols – is the interplay between the humorous, benign cartoon and serious intent. This concept is "tactical frivolity."

The strategy rests on what the professor calls a "disarming display" – often silly, it acts as a "disarming and charming" display that highlights a message without needing directly articulating them. This is the unusual prop used, or the meme you share.

Mr Bogad is an analyst on this topic and an experienced participant. He authored a book on the subject, and led seminars internationally.

"One can look back to historical periods – under oppressive regimes, absurd humor is used to speak the truth indirectly and while maintaining a layer of protection."

The theory of this approach is three-fold, he explains.

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