The iconic One Piece flag — a skull with a straw hat — has been called a threat to national unity by an Indonesian lawmaker following its appearance in various spots across the country in a trend seen as a mark of protest by many.
Indonesian deputy house speaker Sufmi Dasco Ahmad called the hoisting of the Jolly Roger from the popular anime a “systematic movement” aimed at undermining national unity.
“This is not a coincidence,” Dasco, a Gerindra Party executive, told reporters in Jakarta on Friday. “There is a coordinated attempt to divide the nation,” he added.
There has been a sudden emergence of Straw Hat pirate flags flying high alongside Indonesia’s national flag across several regions just weeks ahead of the country’s 80th Independence Day celebration on August 17, according to Indonesian daily Jakarta Globe.
From the back of trucks to public flag posts, the One Piece flag is everywhere in the country, as per reports.
The centre-left Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) has interpreted the act as a form of symbolic protest rather than a political threat.
“This should be seen as a public expression of criticism, which centre part of a democratic society,” PDI-P member Deddy Yevri Sitorus said.
Minister Budi Gunawan of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, said the government appreciates and protects the right to free expression, but such actions must not bring down the dignity of the nation.
On Saturday, Indonesia’s deputy home affairs minister Bima Arya Sugiarto clarified that the government does not prohibit citizens from participating in the online trend, according to a report.
“In my view, such a form of expression is a natural phenomenon in a democracy, as long as it does not contradict the Constitution,” he told the media.
The Indonesian government has come under public scrutiny for allegedly imposing restrictions on freedom of speech, religion, and sexual orientation, according to a 2023 World Report on Indonesia by Human Rights Watch.
In the beloved anime series One Piece, pirates hoist their flags to symbolise freedom and rebel against the authoritative World Government. One Piece protagonist Monkey D Luffy’s rise to becoming an Emperor of the Sea and his ongoing journey to be crowned the Pirate King is marked by him fiercely defying the Marines with his ragtag crew.
Although the Marine officers try to break Luffy’s might and capture him, he remains unwavering in his fight against oppression, emerging as a revolutionary figure and a source of inspiration for those resisting government policies in the real world.
The One Piece flag also made it to a recent Palestinian rally.
The development in Indonesia has set the internet abuzz, with many One Piece fans raving about the impact of the anime on the real world.
“I really hope this trend goes beyond Indonesia and becomes a worldwide phenomena when other countries under fascist/authoritarian regime start doing the same. One Piece has transcended media artform into a social movement. Mugiwara's values are exactly what we all need right now,” a fan wrote on X.
Another fan drew parallels between literary greats and One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda. “Shakespeare, Mark Twain; many authors in history can be the fulcrum of great cultural impact. Now Oda is one of them.”
Some X users also looked back on the time Luffy declared war on the World Government in the Enies Lobby arc of the anime in a bid to save his crew member Robin.
Set in the world of pirates, One Piece follows Monkey D. Luffy, a young boy who sets sail with his wacky crew on a perilous journey across the Grand Line to find the legendary treasure One Piece and become the Pirate King. In his quest to achieve freedom in its truest sense, Luffy overcomes formidable enemies, forges meaningful friendships and unravels the world’s secrets.
