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The revolution may not be televised, but it could have webbed feet and bulging eyes.

Furthermore, it may involve the horn of a unicorn or the plumage of a chicken.

While demonstrations against the administration carry on in American cities, demonstrators are utilizing the spirit of a local block party. They have taught salsa lessons, given away snacks, and ridden unicycles, as officers look on.

Combining levity and political action – an approach researchers term "tactical frivolity" – has historical precedent. Yet it has transformed into a defining feature of American protest in this period, adopted by both left and right.

A specific icon has risen to become notably significant – the frog. It originated after recordings of a clash between a protester in a frog suit and immigration enforcement agents in the city of Portland, became an internet sensation. And it has since spread to demonstrations nationwide.

"A great deal happening with that small blow-up amphibian," says a professor, who teaches at University of California, Davis and an academic who focuses on creative activism.

The Path From the Pepe Meme to the Streets of Portland

It's challenging to talk about demonstrations and amphibians without addressing Pepe, a cartoon character co-opted by extremist movements throughout an election cycle.

Initially, when this image first took off online, its purpose was to signal specific feelings. Subsequently, its use evolved to express backing for a candidate, even one notable meme endorsed by the candidate himself, depicting Pepe with a signature suit and hair.

Images also circulated in certain internet forums in offensive ways, as a historical dictator. Participants exchanged "unique frog images" and set up cryptocurrency in his name. His catchphrase, "that feels good", was deployed a shared phrase.

Yet its beginnings were not so controversial.

Matt Furie, the illustrator, has stated about his unhappiness for its co-option. His creation was meant as simply a "chill frog-dude" in this artist's universe.

This character first appeared in comic strips in the mid-2000s – apolitical and famous for a quirky behavior. A film, which follows the creator's attempt to wrest back control of his creation, he explained his drawing came from his time with companions.

As he started out, Mr Furie experimented with sharing his art to the nascent social web, where people online began to borrow, remix and reinvent the frog. As its popularity grew into darker parts of online spaces, Mr Furie tried to disavow his creation, including ending its life in a comic strip.

However, its legacy continued.

"This demonstrates the lack of control over icons," says Prof Bogad. "They can change and shift and be repurposed."

For a long time, the popularity of this meme resulted in amphibian imagery became a symbol for conservative politics. A transformation occurred recently, when a confrontation between a protestor wearing a blow-up amphibian suit and a federal agent in Portland spread rapidly online.

The event came just days after a directive to send military personnel to Portland, which was described as "war-ravaged". Protesters began to assemble in large numbers on a single block, just outside of a federal building.

Tensions were high and an immigration officer sprayed irritant at the individual, directing it into the opening of the costume.

The individual, the man in the costume, responded with a joke, stating he had tasted "spicier tamales". Yet the footage spread everywhere.

Mr Todd's attire fit right in for Portland, famous for its unconventional spirit and activist demonstrations that revel in the absurd – outdoor exercise, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and unique parades. A local saying is "Embrace the Strange."

The frog became part of in a lawsuit between the federal government and Portland, which contended the deployment overstepped authority.

While the court ruled that month that the administration had the right to deploy troops, one judge dissented, mentioning demonstrators' "known tendency for wearing chicken suits while voicing their disagreement."

"It is easy to see the court's opinion, which adopts the government's characterization as a battlefield, as simply ridiculous," the dissenting judge opined. "Yet the outcome is not merely absurd."

The action was "permanently" blocked soon after, and troops withdrew from the area.

But by then, the frog had transformed into a powerful protest icon for progressive movements.

The costume was spotted across the country at anti-authoritarian protests last autumn. Amphibian costumes were present – along with other creatures – in major US cities. They were in rural communities and global metropolises like Tokyo and London.

The frog costume was backordered on major websites, and saw its cost increase.

Mastering the Visual Story

The link between the two amphibian symbols – lies in the relationship between the silly, innocent image and serious intent. This concept is "tactical frivolity."

This approach rests on what the professor calls a "disarming display" – often silly, it's a "disarming and charming" performance that highlights your ideas without needing explicitly stating them. This is the silly outfit used, or the meme circulated.

Mr Bogad is an analyst on this topic and an experienced participant. He's written a book on the subject, and led seminars internationally.

"One can look back to the Middle Ages – under oppressive regimes, absurd humor is used to speak the truth a little bit and while maintaining a layer of protection."

The purpose of such tactics is multi-faceted, Mr Bogad explains.

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