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The revolution isn't broadcast, but it could have webbed feet and protruding eyes.

Additionally, it could include a unicorn's horn or the plumage of a chicken.

Whilst demonstrations opposing the leadership continue in US cities, participants are utilizing the energy of a community costume parade. They've provided dance instruction, distributed treats, and performed on unicycles, as officers look on.

Blending levity and politics – a tactic experts term "tactical frivolity" – is not new. However, it has emerged as a signature characteristic of US demonstrations in this period, used by various groups.

A specific icon has emerged as notably significant – the frog. It originated when recordings of a confrontation between a protester in a frog suit and federal officers in Portland, Oregon, went viral. From there, it proliferated to rallies across the country.

"There's a lot going on with that small frog costume," says a professor, a professor at University of California, Davis and an academic who studies political performance.

From Pepe to the Streets of Portland

It is difficult to talk about demonstrations and amphibians without addressing Pepe, an illustrated figure embraced by far-right groups throughout a political race.

As the meme first took off online, people used it to express certain emotions. Afterwards, it was utilized to show support for a political figure, including one notable meme retweeted by that figure personally, showing the frog with a signature suit and hair.

Images also circulated in certain internet forums in more extreme scenarios, portrayed as a hate group member. Users exchanged "rare Pepes" and set up cryptocurrency in his name. Its famous line, "feels good, man", became a shared phrase.

Yet the character did not originate as a political symbol.

The artist behind it, the illustrator, has expressed about his disapproval for its co-option. His creation was meant as simply an apolitical figure in this artist's universe.

The frog debuted in comic strips in 2005 – non-political and notable for a quirky behavior. In 'Feels Good Man', which follows the creator's attempt to take back of his creation, he said the character came from his time with companions.

As he started out, the artist tried uploading his work to new websites, where the community began to borrow, remix and reinvent his character. When the meme proliferated into the more extreme corners of online spaces, Mr Furie tried to disavow his creation, even killing him off in a final panel.

However, its legacy continued.

"It shows that we don't control imagery," says Prof Bogad. "Their meaning can evolve and be repurposed."

Until recently, the notoriety of Pepe resulted in amphibian imagery were predominantly linked to conservative politics. But that changed on a day in October, when a confrontation between a protestor dressed in a blow-up amphibian suit and an immigration officer in Portland, Oregon captured global attention.

This incident occurred shortly after a decision to deploy the National Guard to Portland, which was called "war-ravaged". Activists began to congregate on a single block, near a federal building.

Emotions ran high and an immigration officer sprayed irritant at a protester, directing it into the air intake fan of the costume.

The individual, Seth Todd, responded with a joke, saying it tasted like "spicier tamales". Yet the footage became a sensation.

The costume fit right in for the city, renowned for its quirky culture and activist demonstrations that delight in the unusual – outdoor exercise, retro fitness classes, and unique parades. A local saying is "Embrace the Strange."

This symbol was also referenced in a lawsuit between the federal government and Portland, which argued the use of troops was illegal.

While the court ruled that month that the president had the right to send personnel, a dissenting judge wrote, noting in her opinion the protesters' "known tendency for using unusual attire when expressing their disagreement."

"It is easy to see the majority's ruling, which accepts the description of Portland as a war zone, as merely absurd," the dissenting judge wrote. "However, this ruling goes beyond absurdity."

The action was "permanently" blocked just a month later, and troops withdrew from the city.

But by then, the amphibian costume had transformed into a significant symbol of resistance for the left.

The costume was spotted in many cities at No Kings protests that fall. 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.

The inflatable suit was backordered on online retailers, and became more expensive.

Mastering the Narrative

The link between both frogs together – is the interplay between the silly, innocent image and a deeper political meaning. Experts call this "tactical frivolity."

The tactic rests on what the professor terms the "irresistible image" – usually humorous, it's a "disarming and charming" act that calls attention to your ideas without needing obviously explaining them. This is the goofy costume you wear, or the symbol circulated.

Mr Bogad is an analyst on this topic and an experienced participant. He's written a text called 'Tactical Performance', and taught workshops around the world.

"One can look back to historical periods – when people are dominated, they use absurdity to speak the truth indirectly and while maintaining plausible deniability."

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

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