One Piece becomes resistance symbol in Mexico clashes as GenZ protests

MEXICO CITY: As Mexico protestors are determined to rattle the government, they hung a manga flag showing a skull wearing a straw hat. The juxtaposition of the cartoon flag with the protests may have seemed bizarre, but for the Gen Z protestors who filled the streets of Mexico, the gesture was packed with meaning.

Characters and symbols from popular culture are often adopted by protesters to convey a shared cause or value system, as the pirate skull flag became a symbol of GenZ protests across the world, Al Jazeera reported.

In Mexico City, a small group of hooded protesters tore down fences around the National Palace where President Claudia Sheinbaum lives, prompting a clash with riot police who deployed tear gas, according to Al Jazeera.

Demonstrations in Mexico were organised by the GenZ against growing crime, corruption and impunity.

Mexico City’s public safety secretary, Pablo Vazquez, said in a news conference that 100 police officers were injured, including 40 who required hospital treatment.

Another 20 civilians were also injured, Vazquez told local media outlet Milenio.

The public safety secretary also said 20 people were arrested and another 20 “referred for administrative offences,” as per Al Jazeera.

The flag comes from the wildly popular 1997 Japanese manga One Piece by Eciichiro Oda, which tells the swashbuckling story of the charming pirate captain Monkey D Luffy and his misfit “Straw Hat” crew. Together, they set sail under a Jolly Roger flag that wears Luffy’s quintessential straw hat and his trademark beaming smile, as per CNN.

To One Piece fans, the flag symbolizes Luffy’s quest to chase his dreams, liberate oppressed people, and fight the autocratic World Government. He’s fearless and determined – with a few tricks up his sleeve to thwart opponents, including the enviable ability to evade capture with a rubber body that stretches, bounces and bends.

But in the real world, the One Piece flag that adorns Luffy’s ship has transcended borders and languages to become a rallying cry and symbol for youth-led protest movements, CNN reported.

In Asia, the flag gained popularity as a tool of political expression and defiance during protests in Indonesia, the Philippines and Nepal, and has also popped up on the streets of Paris, as per CNN. (ANI)