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The revolution won't be broadcast, though it may feature webbed feet and bulging eyes.

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

As protests against the government continue in US cities, demonstrators are adopting the vibe of a community costume parade. They have taught salsa lessons, given away snacks, and performed on unicycles, while armed law enforcement watch.

Blending levity and politics – an approach experts refer to as "tactical frivolity" – isn't novel. Yet it has transformed into a signature characteristic of protests in the United States in this period, embraced by both left and right.

One particular emblem has emerged as especially powerful – the frog. It originated after video footage of a confrontation between a man in an amphibian costume and ICE agents in Portland, Oregon, spread online. It subsequently appeared to protests throughout the United States.

"There is much happening with that small blow-up amphibian," notes a professor, who teaches at University of California, Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who studies creative activism.

From Pepe to Portland

It's challenging to examine protests and frogs without addressing Pepe, a web comic frog adopted by far-right groups during an election cycle.

As the character gained popularity online, its purpose was to signal specific feelings. Later, its use evolved to endorse a political figure, even one notable meme retweeted by the candidate personally, depicting Pepe with a signature suit and hair.

The frog was also portrayed in right-wing online communities in more extreme scenarios, portrayed as a hate group member. Online conservatives traded "rare Pepes" and established cryptocurrency using its likeness. Its famous line, "feels good, man", was deployed a coded signal.

Yet Pepe didn't start out as a political symbol.

The artist behind it, the illustrator, has been vocal about his unhappiness for its appropriation. His creation was meant as simply a "chill frog-dude" in his comic world.

This character debuted in a series of comics in 2005 – apolitical and notable for a quirky behavior. In 'Feels Good Man', which chronicles the creator's attempt to wrest back control of his creation, he stated his drawing was inspired by his life with companions.

As he started out, Mr Furie experimented with sharing his art to the nascent social web, where other users began to borrow, remix and reinvent the frog. When the meme proliferated into the more extreme corners of the internet, the creator sought to reject the frog, including ending its life in a final panel.

But Pepe lived on.

"It proves that we don't control icons," says the professor. "Their meaning can evolve and be reworked."

Until recently, the association of this meme meant that amphibian imagery were predominantly linked to the right. A transformation occurred on a day in October, when a viral moment between a protestor dressed in a blow-up amphibian suit and a federal agent in Portland, Oregon captured global attention.

This incident came just days after an order to deploy the National Guard to the city, which was described as "war-ravaged". Protesters began to assemble in large numbers outside a facility, near a federal building.

Tensions were high and an agent sprayed irritant at the individual, targeting the air intake fan of the inflatable suit.

The protester, Seth Todd, quipped, stating he had tasted "something milder". However, the video spread everywhere.

The costume was not too unusual for the city, known for its eccentric vibe and left-wing protests that revel in the unusual – public yoga, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and unique parades. Its creed is "Keep Portland Weird."

The costume even played a role in the ensuing legal battle between the federal government and Portland, which argued the use of troops was illegal.

Although a ruling was issued in October that the president was within its rights to send personnel, one judge dissented, noting in her opinion the protesters' "known tendency for wearing chicken suits while voicing dissent."

"Observers may be tempted the majority's ruling, which accepts the description of Portland as a war zone, as simply ridiculous," Judge Susan Graber opined. "But today's decision has serious implications."

The deployment was stopped legally just a month later, and troops have reportedly departed the city.

However, by that time, the amphibian costume had become a potent symbol of resistance for progressive movements.

The costume was spotted in many cities at No Kings protests recently. Amphibian costumes were present – along with other creatures – in major US cities. They appeared in rural communities and big international cities like Tokyo and London.

The inflatable suit was sold out on major websites, and rose in price.

Shaping the Narrative

What connects both frogs together – is the dynamic between the silly, innocent image and a deeper political meaning. This concept is "tactical frivolity."

The strategy rests on what Mr Bogad terms the "irresistible image" – usually humorous, it acts as a "disarming and charming" act that highlights a cause without directly articulating them. This is the goofy costume used, or the symbol you share.

The professor is both an expert in the subject and a veteran practitioner. He authored a book called 'Tactical Performance', and led seminars internationally.

"You could go back to historical periods – under oppressive regimes, absurd humor is used to speak the truth a little bit and while maintaining a layer of protection."

The theory of this approach is three-fold, Mr Bogad says.

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