Mexico City [Mexico], November 17 (ANI): As protests intensified across Mexico, demonstrators displayed a manga flag featuring a skull wearing a straw hat. While the cartoon imagery may have seemed incongruous amid the unrest, for the Gen Z protestors who filled the streets, the symbol carried powerful meaning.
Characters and symbols from popular culture are often adopted by protest movements to convey a shared cause or ideological message. In this case, the pirate skull emblem became a unifying symbol of Gen Z resistance, Al Jazeera reported.
In Mexico City, a small group of hooded protestors tore down fences surrounding the National Palace, where President Claudia Sheinbaum resides, prompting clashes with riot police who deployed tear gas, according to Al Jazeera. The demonstrations were organised by Gen Z protestors rallying against rising crime, corruption and impunity.
Mexico City’s public safety secretary, Pablo Vazquez, said during a news conference that 100 police officers were injured, including 40 who required hospitalization. Another 20 civilians were also injured, Vazquez told the local media outlet Milenio. He added that 20 people were arrested and another 20 were “referred for administrative offences,” as per Al Jazeera.
The flag displayed by the protestors originates from the popular 1997 Japanese manga One Piece by Eiichiro Oda, which follows the adventures of pirate captain Monkey D. Luffy and his eclectic “Straw Hat” crew. They sail under a Jolly Roger decorated with Luffy’s iconic straw hat and trademark grin, CNN reported.
For fans, the emblem represents Luffy’s pursuit of his dreams, his mission to liberate oppressed communities, and his fearless defiance of an autocratic world order. His character is resourceful and determined, known for his ability to evade capture with a rubber-like body that bends, stretches and rebounds.
In the real world, the One Piece flag has evolved beyond entertainment, becoming a rallying symbol for youth-led protest movements across continents, CNN reported. It has appeared in political demonstrations across Asia, including in Indonesia, the Philippines and Nepal, and has also surfaced on the streets of Paris.
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