. . A sign with the symbol can be seen to the right. . The flag top right at UNTL building. The Straw Hats' Jolly Roger became a symbol of
Gen Z protests across the world. The flag was first used in protests in Indonesia in October 2023 in Yogyakarta, during protests against the
Gaza war. The flag's usage among protester increased during the
August 2025 Indonesian protests, , also known as the 17+8 movement, consisting of students protesting against the Indonesian
House of Representatives allowance hike, and the rising costs of food and education. The usage of the Straw Hats' Jolly Roger gained attention online and spread around the world. Afterwards, other people began to use this flag as well, including the
2025 Philippine anti-corruption protests and many others. The Straw Hats were inspiring since they are "teenagers who fight against an extremely corrupt ruling class" and consistently do this on behalf of the oppressed and marginalized. One participant in the
2025–2026 Philippine anti-corruption protests said, “I don't want my son to grow up in a country full of corrupt officials. I want him to grow up in a country that is peaceful and promotes equality. These characters did not just entertain me throughout my childhood, they taught me values and morals that somewhat made me who I am today. … these fictional characters taught me something that I did not expect will be a factor on how I perceive society as a whole and on what kind of world I would like my son to grow up in.”
Indonesia The Straw Hats' Jolly Roger was first used by protesters in Indonesia as early as October 2023 in
Yogyakarta, during protests against the
Gaza genocide. Student protesters in Indonesia begun flying the flag again in February 2025. Truck drivers began flying the Straw Hat Pirates' flag in late July 2025 to protest the prohibition of ODOL (over dimension, overload) trucks throughout several cities in Java, ongoing since 19 June 2025. The flag came into prominence during the
2025 Indonesian anti-government protests which started in the weeks leading up to
Independence Day on 17 August. In July, President
Prabowo Subianto had called on Indonesians to fly the red and white
national flag to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the country's
independence. Following the president's speech an apparel store received "thousands of orders" for the Jolly Roger flag, because "The anime reflects the injustice and inequality that Indonesians experience".
Nepal During large-scale protests and demonstrations were organized by
Generation Z against government corruption in Nepal during September 2025, the flag became a key symbol. Protesters displayed the flag with slogans criticizing the luxurious lifestyles of politicians' children on social media. As the government of
K. P. Sharma Oli was toppled by the protests, protesters hung the flag at the gates of the
Singha Durbar palace as it burned. The icon was adopted by social media accounts associated with protesters.
Other countries • The flag was used in the
Gaza war protests, such as in
London in November 2023 and
in Italy in September–October 2025. • The flag was flown by some protesters during the
Trillion Peso March which was against corruption and the
"ghost projects" controversy in the Philippines, During another protest in the Philippines on 12 October, a motorcycle rider carrying the flag was confronted by other protestors who suspected him of being a
provocateur, and he was escorted away by police. and by university students protesting lifetime pensions for parliament members in
East Timor. • During the French anti-government
Bloquons tout protests in September 2025 after the fall of the
Bayrou government, some protesters carried the flag. Anti-government protesters in
Asunción, Paraguay, in late September along with protesters at
La Paz demanding an audit for the
2025 Bolivian general election in October also carried the flag. •
Gen Z protesters in Morocco used the flag. • British magazine
The Week noted the flag's presence in protests in
New York,
Rome, and
Slovakia. • During
protests against ICE operations in Portland, United States, some protesters flew the flag. The flag also saw use during the anti-Trump
No Kings 2.0 protests in October 2025, e.g. in
Los Angeles,
Miami, and
Spokane. • In Mexico in November 2025, the flag was among various symbols used by a group identifying itself as "Generation Z Mexico", who is against drug violence that claims tens of thousands of Mexican lives each year and the security policies of Mexican president
Claudia Sheinbaum. Former Mexican president
Vicente Fox wore a T-shirt emblazoned with the symbol while attending the protests. Sheinbaum alleged that
right-wing parties and billionaires sought to infiltrate the movement and used social media bots to amplify support for the protests. Several Generation Z social media influencers publicly stated that they do not support these protests. • Bulgarians
protesting against increases in pension and social security payments in November–December 2025 used the flag. == Responses ==