In Indonesia, in ceilings, vehicles, it is not unusual to see the red and white flag. But, in recent days, another has accompanied him, wearing a skull with a straw hat … a banner of the Japanese animated series One Piece.
If this gesture may seem unusual, it is actually political. Many Indonesians have adopted this pirate flag of the manga of Eiichirō Oda, as an act of dissatisfaction with corruption and established power. This same flag was prohibited by the Indonesian authorities in public space.
This trend of social networks became a wave of peaceful protest throughout the country, a few days before the 80th anniversary of the independence of the archipelago on August 17.
This movement found an unprecedented echo on the international scene. Several accounts verified videos and shades of this phenomenon, starting with the anime news X Today, a position of which went viral on August 2, 2025. This Thursday, August 7, it had left more than 12,000 times and seen by more than two million people.
A revolt carried by youth
Faced with this movement, the vice president of Parliament Sufmi Dasco Ahmad (of the ruling party, Gerindra) warned against a “systematic attempt” to divide Indonesia after the viral diffusion of videos that show flags of a piece in different regions of the country, as reported by Jakarta Globe.
This protest intervenes in a particularly delicate political context for President Pabowo suffered. The Indonesian government, led by the Conservative Party Gerindra, is the subject of an international exam for alleged restrictions on freedom of expression, religion and sexual orientation according to a report by Human Rights Watch published in 2025.
The manifestations, at the national level, nicknamed “Indonesia gelap” (“Dark Indonesia”), have already destabilized the presidency at the beginning of the year, according to the Yakarta Post. With the support of young Indonesians, these protests initially focused on the reforms of military law and very quickly extended to broader social problems, such as austerity, corruption and police violence.
Source: BFM TV
