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The revolution isn't televised, 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 opposing the administration carry on in US cities, demonstrators are utilizing the energy of a community costume parade. They've provided salsa lessons, distributed treats, and performed on unicycles, while police watch.

Blending humour and political action – an approach experts refer to as "tactical frivolity" – has historical precedent. But it has become a signature characteristic of US demonstrations in recent years, adopted by various groups.

One particular emblem has proven to be particularly salient – the frog. It began after video footage of a confrontation between a man in an inflatable frog and federal officers in Portland, Oregon, went viral. It subsequently appeared to demonstrations across the country.

"There's a lot at play with that small frog costume," notes an expert, a professor at University of California, Davis and an academic who specialises in creative activism.

From Pepe to the Streets of Portland

It's hard to discuss demonstrations and amphibians without talking about Pepe, a cartoon character co-opted by far-right groups during an election cycle.

Initially, when this image initially spread online, its purpose was to express certain emotions. Afterwards, it was utilized to express backing for a candidate, even a particular image endorsed by the candidate personally, depicting Pepe with a signature suit and hair.

The frog was also portrayed in certain internet forums in offensive ways, portrayed as a historical dictator. Users exchanged "rare Pepes" and set up digital currency in his name. His catchphrase, "that feels good", was used a shared phrase.

But Pepe didn't start out so controversial.

Its creator, the illustrator, has been vocal about his unhappiness for how the image has been used. His creation was meant as simply a "chill frog-dude" in his series.

Pepe debuted in an online comic in 2005 – non-political and best known for a quirky behavior. In a documentary, which documents Mr Furie's efforts to take back of his creation, he stated the character came from his life 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 the frog. As its popularity grew into darker parts of the internet, the creator sought to reject the frog, even killing him off in a final panel.

However, its legacy continued.

"It shows that we don't control imagery," states the professor. "Their meaning can evolve and be reclaimed."

Previously, the association of Pepe resulted in frogs were largely associated with conservative politics. But that changed on a day in October, when a confrontation between an activist dressed in an inflatable frog costume and a federal agent in Portland, Oregon went viral.

The moment occurred shortly after an order to send the National Guard to the city, which was called "war-ravaged". Demonstrators began to gather in droves on a single block, just outside of a federal building.

Tensions were high and an agent sprayed pepper spray at a protester, directing it into the ventilation of the puffy frog costume.

The protester, the man in the costume, reacted humorously, saying he had tasted "spicier tamales". Yet the footage became a sensation.

The costume fit right in for the city, famous for its eccentric vibe and left-wing protests that revel in the absurd – public yoga, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and nude cycling groups. Its creed is "Keep Portland Weird."

The frog was also referenced in the ensuing legal battle between the administration and Portland, which claimed the use of troops was illegal.

While a judge decided that month that the administration was within its rights to send personnel, a minority opinion disagreed, noting in her opinion demonstrators' "propensity for using unusual attire when expressing opposition."

"It is easy to see the majority's ruling, which adopts the government's characterization as a battlefield, as simply ridiculous," the dissenting judge wrote. "But today's decision goes beyond absurdity."

The order was halted by courts just a month later, and personnel withdrew from the city.

However, by that time, the amphibian costume had become a significant symbol of resistance for the left.

This symbol appeared nationwide at anti-authoritarian protests that fall. Amphibian costumes were present – and unicorns and axolotls and dinosaurs – in major US cities. They appeared in rural communities and global metropolises abroad.

The frog costume was sold out on major websites, and became more expensive.

Shaping the Optics

The link between both frogs together – lies in the interplay between the humorous, benign cartoon and a deeper political meaning. This concept is "tactical frivolity."

This approach relies on what Mr Bogad calls a "disarming display" – usually humorous, it's a "appealing and non-threatening" display that draws focus to your ideas without needing explicitly stating them. This is the goofy costume you wear, or the symbol circulated.

Mr Bogad is both an expert on this topic and an experienced participant. He's written a book on the subject, and taught workshops internationally.

"You could go back to the Middle Ages – when people are dominated, absurd humor is used to speak the truth indirectly and while maintaining a layer of protection."

The idea of this approach is three-fold, Mr Bogad explains.

As activists take on authority, humorous attire {takes control of|seizes|influences