Gen Z protesters are flying this pirate flag. Here’s what it means.

Straight Arrow News

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00:00It's a story about freedom and the journey to obtain it.

00:06Gen Z is rolling up to protests in increasing numbers.

00:10But why exactly are young people across the globe carrying pirate flags at demonstrations?

00:16And what do they mean?

00:24The symbol they're rallying under is a fictional pirate flag from a popular

00:28Japanese manga and anime series called One Piece.

00:31It's an expansive franchise with more than 100 volumes of books and well over a thousand episodes.

00:38It was even brought to life with a live-action adaptation in 2023.

00:42Together we'd make a pretty good team.

00:45The series follows Monkey D. Luffy and his friends, the Straw Hat Pirates,

00:50searching for freedom, friendship, and fortune on the high seas.

00:53The crew hunts for the mythical One Piece,

00:56a treasure that would make Luffy king of the pirates.

01:05During their quest, the band of pirates fight back against the authoritarian world government,

01:10all while flying their own version of the famous Jolly Roger pirate flag.

01:15The banner made its way out of the manga and into the real world last summer in Indonesia

01:20when Gen Z protesters adopted the symbol.

01:22According to Human Rights Watch, civil and political rights declined in Indonesia in the past decade

01:28under the Jokowi administration, which ended a year ago.

01:32In the lead-up to Indonesia's 80th Independence Day this summer,

01:36the government told its citizens to fly the country flag with patriotic pride.

01:40In defiance, many hoisted the anime pirate colors instead.

01:44It had to be an introvert.

01:45It had to be an introvert.

01:46Why?

01:47Why?

01:47Why do you?

01:47Why don't they have to be an introvert to the people who have to be an introvert.

01:56The one-piece.

01:56They were to say to the one-piece.

01:59And they were to say to destroy Indonesia and so on.

02:03The ones that were wrong, I think.

02:04Several Indonesian politicians strongly opposed the pirate symbol.

02:09One called it a coordinated attempt to divide the nation.

02:13But the flag was still flown all over the country, leading to targeted raids and confiscations.

02:19From there, the movement spread to Peru, Nepal, Paraguay, the Philippines, Madagascar, and the U.S.

02:34In 2024, 20% of American youth had engaged in issue advocacy, and 18% had gone to demonstrations.

02:59Many now do so under a cartoon Jolly Roger.

03:03S.A.N. spoke with a volunteer medic wearing the symbolic straw hat in Omaha, Nebraska,

03:09during the latest No Kings protests this October.

03:12You'll see their flag. You'll see just references to them.

03:17I mean, heck, I even have the flag right there.

03:20To me, it's just, it's a symbol of freedom.

03:23If something were to happen and, like, non-lethal rounds would be fired,

03:29just so I can keep doing my job, helping people out,

03:32I have, we have, like, usually something behind it, just a, kind of, like a crumple zone in cars.

03:41One of them, wait, is actually a volume of One Piece.

03:46The other is Night by Eli Wiesel.

03:48Young people marching under an anime pirate flag isn't the first time fictional pop culture elements

03:55have become a rallying symbol in the real world.

03:59In 2014, youth protesting against a coup in Thailand held up three fingers in a salute from the Hunger Games franchise.

04:07The government banned the use of the gesture and detained those who used it.

04:11Red robes and white bonnets from The Handmaid's Tale also make regular appearances at demonstrations.

04:17It represents a defense of bodily autonomy.

04:19The mustachioed Guy Fawkes mask, made popular by the V for Vendetta movie,

04:25symbolizes public unity against authoritarianism.

04:28It was picked up by the hacker group Anonymous,

04:30which uses computer skills to expose perceived wrongdoers.

04:34And today, youth protesters around the globe are wearing straw hats with red ribbons and waving a Jolly Roger.

04:42We'll see what tomorrow brings.

04:44For Straight Arrow News, I'm Emma Stoltzfus.

04:46Check out our app and website at san.com for more unbiased straight facts.

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