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This revolution won't be broadcast, but it could have webbed feet and protruding eyes.

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

While rallies opposing the government persist in American cities, protesters have embraced the energy of a community costume parade. They've offered salsa lessons, handed out treats, and ridden unicycles, while armed law enforcement look on.

Combining levity and politics – a strategy experts refer to as "tactical frivolity" – is not new. But it has become a signature characteristic of American protest in the current era, adopted by all sides of the political spectrum.

A specific icon has proven to be particularly salient – the frog. It started after a video of a confrontation between an individual in an amphibian costume and ICE agents in the city of Portland, went viral. It subsequently appeared to protests across the country.

"There is much at play with that little blow-up amphibian," notes LM Bogad, who teaches at University of California, Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who specialises in political performance.

From a Cartoon Frog to Portland

It's challenging to examine demonstrations and amphibians without mentioning Pepe, a cartoon character embraced by online communities during a political race.

As this image gained popularity on the internet, people used it to convey certain emotions. Subsequently, it was utilized to express backing for a candidate, even one notable meme endorsed by that figure himself, showing the frog with recognizable attire and hairstyle.

Pepe was also depicted in certain internet forums in more extreme scenarios, portrayed as a hate group member. Online conservatives traded "unique frog images" and established digital currency in his name. His catchphrase, "feels good, man", was used a shared phrase.

Yet its beginnings were not so controversial.

The artist behind it, artist Matt Furie, has been vocal about his disapproval for its appropriation. The character was intended as simply a "chill frog-dude" in this artist's universe.

This character debuted in a series of comics in the mid-2000s – apolitical and best known for a quirky behavior. In a documentary, which chronicles the creator's attempt to take back of his creation, he stated his drawing was inspired by his time with friends and roommates.

When he began, the artist tried sharing his art to early internet platforms, 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 the frog, even killing him off in a comic strip.

But Pepe lived on.

"It proves that creators cannot own symbols," explains Prof Bogad. "Their meaning can evolve and be reclaimed."

Previously, the notoriety of Pepe resulted in frogs were largely associated with the right. But that changed on a day in October, when a confrontation between an activist dressed in a blow-up amphibian suit and a federal agent in Portland went viral.

The event occurred shortly after an order to deploy military personnel to the city, which was described as "a warzone". Demonstrators began to gather in droves outside a facility, near a federal building.

Tensions were high and an agent used irritant at a protester, targeting the air intake fan of the inflatable suit.

The individual, the man in the costume, reacted humorously, remarking it tasted like "something milder". However, the video spread everywhere.

Mr Todd's attire was not too unusual for the city, famous for its unconventional spirit and activist demonstrations that delight in the unusual – outdoor exercise, retro fitness classes, and nude cycling groups. A local saying is "Embrace the Strange."

The costume became part of in the ensuing legal battle between the federal government and the city, which contended the use of troops was illegal.

Although a judge decided that month that the president was within its rights to deploy troops, one judge dissented, noting in her opinion demonstrators' "propensity for donning inflatable costumes while voicing their disagreement."

"It is easy to see the majority's ruling, which accepts the government's characterization as a battlefield, as simply ridiculous," she stated. "Yet the outcome goes beyond absurdity."

The action was stopped legally just a month later, and personnel have reportedly departed the area.

But by then, the amphibian costume had transformed into a powerful protest icon for the left.

The costume appeared in many cities at anti-authoritarian protests recently. Amphibian costumes were present – and unicorns and axolotls and dinosaurs – in major US cities. They appeared in small towns and big international cities abroad.

This item was sold out on major websites, and became more expensive.

Controlling the Optics

The link between Pepe and the protest frog – is the interplay between the silly, innocent image and underlying political significance. This is what "tactical frivolity."

The strategy rests on what Mr Bogad terms a "disarming display" – frequently absurd, it's a "appealing and non-threatening" display that highlights a cause without directly articulating them. It's the unusual prop you wear, or the meme you share.

Mr Bogad is both an expert in the subject and a veteran practitioner. 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 theory of such tactics is three-fold, he explains.

When activists confront the state, a silly costume {takes control of|seizes|influences