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Rabat – In the past year, Gen Z protests have shaken the world from Serbia to Morocco. Although the motives differ from country to country, one unifying symbol is present in each movement: a flag depicting a skull with two crossbones and a straw hat.
The cartoon skull originates from a Japanese manga series, “One Piece.” In the popular anime, flags that bear this symbol are carried by pirates, who fight for freedom by challenging the regime.
Similarly, Gen Z protestors fly this flag as a symbolic message in their fight against regimes filled with corruption, nepotism, economic decline, and unpopular leaders.
In Indonesia, the flag was flown to send a message of discontent with the current political and economic atmosphere, specifically targeting the current government.
In September, Nepalese youth stormed parliament and set it on fire and hung the flag depicting the fictional pirate in front of the building.
In Morocco, the GenZ212 protests have, for the most part, taken a largely different and peaceful nature unlike some of the counterpart mobilizations abroad. The flag is only just recently starting to crop up in protests, but the underlying values remain the same. One Moroccan GenZ212 protestor explained to Morocco World News (MWN) that the image “embodies the values of freedom and resistance to injustice,” saying that the symbol “doesn’t belong to any particular faction or ideology.”
At its core, the crew of pirates aboard the Jolly Roger represents those who feel neglected by the system, coming together to protest a government that they feel ignores their grievances.
Originally, the “One Piece” flag was used in protests in Nepal, Indonesia, and the Philippines. However, due to its popularity, the flag quickly spread throughout protests worldwide.
Youth from all over the world, from Madagascar to the Philippines, related with this narrative, using the flag as a symbol of unity for Gen Z around the world.
During the American “No Kings Day” Protests on October 18, the flag was also flown by youth. The anti-Trump protests brought American from all walks of life coming together to resist what the authoritarianism that they feel present in the current administration This further symbolizes its worldwide appeal and how it is flown by those who fight for the oppressed.
“One Piece,” a popular manga and long-running series, has sold over 500 million copies—making it the best-selling manga of all time. The franchise is one of the most popular in the world; in 2023, it was the fourth most-searched TV show.
