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The revolution may not be broadcast, yet it might possess webbed feet and large 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, participants have embraced the spirit of a community costume parade. They've offered dance instruction, handed out treats, and performed on unicycles, while officers look on.

Combining humour and politics – a strategy social scientists term "tactical frivolity" – is not new. However, it has emerged as a signature characteristic of American protest in the current era, used by both left and right.

One particular emblem has risen to become especially powerful – the frog. It began when recordings of an encounter between a protester in a frog suit and immigration enforcement agents in Portland, Oregon, went viral. From there, it proliferated to demonstrations across the country.

"There's a lot happening with that humble blow-up amphibian," notes LM Bogad, a professor at University of California, Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who focuses on political performance.

From the Pepe Meme to the Streets of Portland

It's hard to talk about protests and frogs without mentioning Pepe, an illustrated figure embraced by far-right groups during an election cycle.

When this image gained popularity on the internet, its purpose was to convey specific feelings. Afterwards, its use evolved to endorse a candidate, including one notable meme retweeted by that figure personally, portraying the frog with a signature suit and hair.

Pepe was also depicted in certain internet forums in darker contexts, portrayed as a historical dictator. Users exchanged "rare Pepes" and established cryptocurrency in his name. Its famous line, "that feels good", was deployed a shared phrase.

But its beginnings were not as a political symbol.

Matt Furie, artist Matt Furie, has stated about his disapproval for its co-option. Pepe was supposed to be simply a "chill frog-dude" in this artist's universe.

The frog debuted in an online comic in the mid-2000s – apolitical and notable for a particular bathroom habit. In a documentary, which follows the creator's attempt to wrest back control of his creation, he said the character came from his experiences with companions.

Early in his career, the artist tried sharing his art to the nascent social web, where other users began to copy, alter, and reinterpret the frog. As Pepe spread into darker parts of the internet, the creator attempted to distance himself from the frog, even killing him off in a final panel.

But Pepe lived on.

"It proves that creators cannot own symbols," states the professor. "Their meaning can evolve and be reclaimed."

Previously, the association of Pepe resulted in amphibian imagery were largely associated with the right. This shifted recently, when a viral moment between an activist dressed in a blow-up amphibian suit and an immigration officer in Portland spread rapidly online.

The moment followed an order to deploy military personnel to the city, which was called "a warzone". Activists began to congregate at a specific location, just outside of an ICE office.

The situation was tense and an immigration officer sprayed irritant at the individual, aiming directly into the ventilation of the costume.

The individual, the man in the costume, reacted humorously, stating he had tasted "spicier tamales". Yet the footage went viral.

The costume fit right in for the city, known for its eccentric vibe and left-wing protests that delight in the unusual – outdoor exercise, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and nude cycling groups. The city's unofficial motto is "Embrace the Strange."

The costume even played a role in a lawsuit between the administration and the city, which argued the deployment was illegal.

Although a judge decided in October that the president was within its rights to send personnel, one judge dissented, mentioning the protesters' "well-known penchant for wearing chicken suits while voicing opposition."

"It is easy to see the majority's ruling, which adopts the description of Portland as a war zone, as merely absurd," she stated. "But today's decision has serious implications."

The deployment was "permanently" blocked just a month later, and personnel have reportedly departed the area.

But by then, the amphibian costume had transformed into a potent symbol of resistance for progressive movements.

This symbol was spotted across the country at No Kings protests last autumn. There were frogs – along with other creatures – in San Diego and Atlanta and Boston. They were in small towns and big international cities abroad.

The inflatable suit was in high demand on major websites, and became more expensive.

Controlling the Visual Story

The link between the two amphibian symbols – lies in the relationship between the humorous, benign cartoon and a deeper political meaning. This concept is "tactical frivolity."

This approach rests on what the professor calls the "irresistible image" – usually humorous, it's a "disarming and charming" performance that calls attention to a message without explicitly stating them. This is the goofy costume used, or the symbol circulated.

The professor is an analyst on this topic and an experienced participant. He's written a book called 'Tactical Performance', and led seminars around the world.

"One can look back to the Middle Ages – when people are dominated, absurd humor is used to express dissent indirectly and still have plausible deniability."

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

As activists confront a powerful opposition, humorous attire {takes control of|seizes|influences