Civil unrest in Indonesia has led to the iconic Jolly Roger flag becoming a symbol of protest in the country.
The Straw Hats’ flag is no longer limited to pirate ships. In Indonesia, the flag has become more than a signifier for Luffy and his crew–it has now become a symbol of protest for the masses who are unsatisfied with the current President Prabowo Subianto, a populist former general elected into office last year.
But why are Indonesians flying the Jolly Roger flag?
One Piece, a hopeful inspiration during political unrest
It started in late July when Subianto released a speech ahead of the country’s 80th Independence Day celebrations, which occurred just this Sunday, 17 August. Subianto entreated citizens to “Fly the red and white flag at home, at schools, in offices, in public spaces–wherever you are. Red stands for the blood spilled for our independence, white for the purity of our soul.”
However, recent government reforms, which many nationals deemed as unfavourable to the general masses, have left the majority dissatisfied with Subianto’s approach in leading the nation.
The origin of the use of the One Piece Jolly Roger flag as a protest symbol in Indonesia is contested. Some say it became viral after a group of truckers flew the One Piece flag on their trucks instead of the Indonesian flag on Independence Day–a form of protest against transportation reforms. Others pointed to the “Dark Indonesia” student protests that occurred in February this year, a massive protest movement which occurred in major cities within the country opposing Subianto’s budget austerity measures.
It’s not news that One Piece has a massive presence globally. The long-running anime and manga series has become a part of the popular culture psyche since it first came out in the 1990s, and still runs today as one of the most enduring franchises in modern anime history.
Indonesia itself has a massive and dedicated following for the series. And as unrest grew, unsatisfied fans attributed the use of the Jolly Roger flag, a symbol of protest against injustice and inequality in the anime, to the current political tensions within the country. According to a report by BBC, by flying the flag, citizens are expressing their love for their country, even if they do not completely agree with its policies.
One Piece Flag movement “may even be treason”
Although the use of the Jolly Roger flag has incited a hopeful swell of patriotic sentiment and desire for better government reforms, certain officials have deemed the action harmful to national interests.
Deputy House Speaker and Gerindra Party executive Sufmi Dasco Ahmad believes that raising the anime flag is a “coordinated attempt to divide the nation”. He also urged the public to not be provoked by the movement, entreating the masses to “collectively resist such actions.”
While Firman Soebagyo, a member of the House of Representatives from the Golkar faction, explicitly prohibited the raising of the Jolly Roger flag. He further assessed that the action was a “form of decline in understanding of the state ideology”, as well as a “dangerous form of provocation”.
Soebagyo further stated: "Therefore, it might even be part of treason. Well, this is not allowed. This must be dealt with firmly."
In response to growing usage of the anime flag, Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Budi Gunawan stated on 1 August that those caught flying the Jolly Roger “could face criminal consequences,” citing Law Number 24 of 2009, where “everyone is prohibited from flying the State Flag under any flag or symbol”.
Gunawan also stated that “as a great nation that values history, we should all refrain from provoking people with symbols that are irrelevant to the nation's struggle.”
Calls to ban the anime flag have also been made, notably Minister of Human Rights Natalius Pigai, through a statement made on 4 August, saw the act of flying it alongside the national flag as unlawful and seditious. He stated: “the ban is an important effort to protect national symbols as a form of respect for the state.”
