Gen Z protests are erupting around the world

Over the past month, members of Gen Z (born 1997–2012) organized mass protests in Nepal, Indonesia, East Timor, the Philippines, Peru, Madagascar, and Morocco, with the main causes linked to government corruption, poor management of infrastructure and climate change phenomena, as well as social inequality [1], [2].

In Nepal, the protests led to the resignation of the government; in Madagascar, to its dissolution; while in countries such as Indonesia and East Timor, they have resulted in policy changes. At the same time, in all cases the protests have been met with heavy repression — most recently in Morocco, where dozens of arrests have been made and demonstrations have been banned in at least six cities.

One Piece (manga 1997–, anime 1999–) follows the story of Captain Luffy and his crew, and is considered a landmark of Japanese pop culture.

Most of the protests were organized primarily through TikTok, Instagram, and Discord, and in many cases they employed shared tactics and symbols, such as the One Piece flag. One of the first times the flag was used in protests was in 2023, during pro-Palestinian marches in Indonesia and the United Kingdom.