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

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

Whilst demonstrations opposing the leadership persist in US cities, participants are adopting the vibe of a local block party. They've provided dance instruction, handed out snacks, and ridden unicycles, as officers observe.

Combining levity and politics – a strategy experts call "tactical frivolity" – has historical precedent. Yet it has transformed into a hallmark of American protest in this period, used by various groups.

And one symbol has risen to become particularly salient – the frog. It started after a video of a confrontation between a protester in an inflatable frog and federal officers in the city of Portland, became an internet sensation. And it has since spread to demonstrations nationwide.

"There's a lot going on with that little inflatable frog," states LM Bogad, a professor at UC Davis and a Guggenheim Fellow who specialises in creative activism.

From Pepe to Portland

It's challenging to discuss protests and frogs without addressing Pepe, an illustrated figure embraced by extremist movements during a previous presidential campaign.

Initially, when the character first took off on the internet, people used it to convey certain emotions. Afterwards, it was deployed to express backing for a political figure, even a particular image retweeted by the candidate personally, showing Pepe with a signature suit and hair.

Images also circulated in certain internet forums in offensive ways, as a hate group member. Users exchanged "rare Pepes" and set up digital currency using its likeness. His catchphrase, "that feels good", was used a shared phrase.

Yet the character did not originate so controversial.

Its creator, the illustrator, has expressed about his unhappiness for how the image has been used. Pepe was supposed to be simply a relaxed amphibian in this artist's universe.

Pepe first appeared in an online comic in the mid-2000s – non-political and best known for a quirky behavior. In 'Feels Good Man', which documents the creator's attempt to reclaim ownership of his creation, he said the character was inspired by his time with companions.

Early in his career, the artist tried sharing his art to the nascent social web, where people online began to copy, alter, and reinterpret his character. When the meme proliferated into darker parts of the internet, the creator sought to reject the frog, including ending its life in a final panel.

But Pepe lived on.

"This demonstrates that creators cannot own symbols," states the professor. "They can change and shift and be reworked."

Previously, the association of this meme meant that frogs were largely associated with conservative politics. A transformation occurred in early October, when a viral moment between an activist wearing a blow-up amphibian suit and an immigration officer in Portland, Oregon captured global attention.

The event came just days after a directive to deploy military personnel to the city, which was described as "war-ravaged". Protesters began to gather in droves outside a facility, near a federal building.

Tensions were high and an agent used a chemical agent at the individual, targeting the air intake fan of the puffy frog costume.

The individual, the man in the costume, reacted humorously, stating it tasted like "something milder". Yet the footage spread everywhere.

The frog suit was somewhat typical for the city, renowned for its eccentric vibe and left-wing protests that revel in the ridiculous – public yoga, retro fitness classes, and unique parades. Its creed is "Keep Portland Weird."

The costume was also referenced in the ensuing legal battle between the administration and Portland, which contended the deployment was unlawful.

Although a ruling was issued that month that the administration was within its rights to send personnel, a dissenting judge wrote, mentioning the protesters' "propensity for wearing chicken suits when expressing dissent."

"It is easy to see the court's opinion, which accepts the description of Portland as a battlefield, as merely absurd," Judge Susan Graber wrote. "Yet the outcome has serious implications."

The action was "permanently" blocked soon after, and personnel are said to have left the area.

However, by that time, the amphibian costume was now a potent protest icon for progressive movements.

The costume was spotted across the country at anti-authoritarian protests recently. Amphibian costumes were present – and unicorns and axolotls and dinosaurs – in major US cities. They were in small towns and global metropolises like Tokyo and London.

This item was backordered on major websites, and saw its cost increase.

Controlling the Visual Story

What brings the two amphibian symbols – lies in the dynamic between the humorous, benign cartoon and serious intent. This concept is "tactical frivolity."

The tactic relies on what the professor terms a "disarming display" – usually humorous, it acts as a "disarming and charming" act that calls attention to a message without obviously explaining them. This is the goofy costume you wear, or the meme circulated.

The professor is both an expert on this topic and a veteran practitioner. He authored a text called 'Tactical Performance', and led seminars internationally.

"You could go back to the Middle Ages – when people are dominated, they use absurdity to speak the truth indirectly and while maintaining plausible deniability."

The idea of this approach is three-fold, he says.

When activists take on authority, humorous attire {takes control of|seizes|influences