Pirate Flag Unfurled in Jakarta Now a Protest Icon Among Youth in Asia

Its spread shows how youth movements are increasingly borrowing from popular culture

- Hariz Baharudin

When a pirate flag was unfurled by protesters in Jakarta in July, most of Indonesia's authorities did not know what to make of it. But many young people there instantly recognized what the toothy skull wearing a straw hat stands for—defiance and freedom.

The cartoonish skull on a black banner, once confined to Japanese anime fandom, has increasingly become a protest icon in parts of Asia.

First used in Indonesia, it has since appeared in Nepal and the Philippines. Its spread underlines how youth movements are increasingly borrowing from popular culture to express anger at corruption, censorship, and state-backed violence.

In Indonesia, the flag was first seen waved by truckers opposing overloaded-vehicle rules and later at student and community protests. Its visibility surged after Aug 28, when 21-year-old motorcycle taxi rider Affan Kurniawan was crushed by a police tactical vehicle during clashes in Jakarta, an incident that fueled some of the worst unrest in decades.

Officials in the country of 280 million have condemned its display alongside the national flag, called Sang Saka Merah Putih, with police seizing banners in several provinces.

By early September, the symbol had crossed borders. In Nepal, protesters adopted it during anti-corruption demonstrations that have escalated into deadly clashes since Sept 8, leaving at least 19 people dead and forcing Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli to resign.

Images from Kathmandu showed demonstrators identifying as "Gen Z" waving the flag as they railed against censorship, graft, and authoritarian rule. Some flags bore slogans such as "The Time is Now" and "#WakeUpNepal".

The pirate flag is from the hit Japanese anime series One Piece.

The series centers on the Straw Hat Pirates as they seek the ultimate treasure and encounter rivals and the authoritarian World Government. The flag is flown by this crew.