“One Piece”, a Symbol of Resistance from Palestine to Indonesia

The black pirate flag featuring the skull and crossbones of the iconic character from the anime series "One Piece," Monkey D. Luffy, is increasingly seen fluttering on the streets. The image has also become widespread on social media. Even the online community is actively encouraged to raise the "One Piece" flag.

The government and several members of parliament were also concerned. They worried that the call could lead to treason and divide unity. However, appeals and warnings not to display the flag seemed to fall on deaf ears. In this economy, when life is increasingly difficult, people increasingly feel unheard, and the government is perceived as no longer on the people's side, it may be difficult to control the distribution of the flag.

At first glance, the anime series created by Eiichiro Oda, which is popular worldwide, appears to be a typical pirate adventure story. However, "One Piece" also serves as a critique of corruption and exploitation, as well as a reflection of the exploratory spirit and the quest for freedom in a society oppressed by a repressive regime.

And, make no mistake, the use of the "One Piece" flag is not only happening in Indonesia. This flag has been circulating since 2023 in Palestine, followed by the watermelon symbol. The watermelon symbol became a form of support for Palestine after the Israeli authorities in 1967 prohibited the raising of the Palestinian flag and the use of national colors (red, green, black, and white) in Gaza and the West Bank. Palestinian artists then devised a way around this by drawing watermelons that have the same color pattern as the Palestinian flag.

Time Magazine, October 20, 2023, stated that the watermelon symbol had disappeared and reappeared in 2021. This followed an Israeli court ruling that Palestinian families living in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in East Jerusalem would be evicted from their homes to make way for settlers.

Alongside the watermelon symbol, the "One Piece" flag has also become a symbol of the struggle for Palestinian liberation and resistance against Israel. When it first appeared on Twitter - now known as X - during a Palestinian demonstration in 2023, support flowed abundantly, and the flag became a symbol of unity and liberation. Moreover, "One Piece" is also popular in Palestine.

Like the Straw Hat Pirates, the Palestinian people also resist occupation and injustice by defying authority. The themes and narratives in "One Piece" serve as a symbolic representation of the Palestinian struggle for freedom, justice, and self-determination. Parallel to this call is a statement that emphasizes the universal human desire for freedom and resistance against oppression.

The "One Piece" flag also serves as an expression of disappointment and social protest. The flag functions as a symbol of resistance within the context of popular culture. Utilizing the symbolic interactionism theory developed by sociologists George Herbert Mead and Herbert Blumer, the meaning of the flag is formed through social interaction and becomes a significant symbol that influences collective identity.

In the context of resistance, a flag serves as a symbol understood collectively as a representation of group identity and a rejection of the prevailing authority. Social movements, according to sociologist Alberto Melucci, who is well-known for his theory of Collective Identity, require symbols that unite people. The flag functions as a "marker of identity" that facilitates individuals in feeling part of a shared struggle.

The issue, according to sociologist James Jasper through the theory of collective emotions and their mobilization, poses a risk for those in power. Flags can evoke collective emotions such as anger, hope, and courage, which are essential elements for mass mobilization. The presence of a flag amidst protests can create a sense of "unity against a common enemy."

As seen with the Mexican flag, which has become a strong symbol of resistance in Los Angeles against the administration of President Donald Trump. Demonstrators waving the Mexican flag are considered rebels, but for many protesters who are Mexican-American citizens, the flag represents pride in their heritage and a symbol of solidarity with deported immigrants.

"It will be difficult to prohibit people from waving their national flags because it gives them a sense of pride," said Latin immigrant rights movement observer and Professor of Ethnic Studies at the University of California, Alfonso Gonzales Toribio.

At the beginning of 2025, in the United States, many people were also seen flying the American flag upside down. Historically, flying the flag upside down is actually a signal of distress or a symbol of sorrow. According to the U.S. Flag Code, the upside-down flag may only be used "as a signal of dire distress in instances of extreme danger to life or property."

However, the upside-down flag is now used as a form of protest. Newsweek magazine, February 24, 2025, stated that rioters at the Capitol on January 6, 2021, also carried the US flag upside down, and this was not considered illegal. The Encyclopedia of the First Amendment explains that the Supreme Court has upheld the right to use the flag as a form of symbolic expression.

In China, the form of resistance expression takes on a different shape. Not with flags or fruit symbols, but rather with blank A4-sized paper. At various protests against the Chinese Communist Party and the "zero Covid-19" strategy of President Xi Jinping, there are certainly sheets of blank A4 paper being raised. This blank white paper was also used in demonstrations in Hong Kong in 2020. This is a creative way for the people to navigate the use of words and images that are prohibited by the government.

Stanley Rosen, Professor of Political Science and International Relations at the University of Southern California, told the New Yorker magazine on December 2, 2022, that the blank pieces of paper, which serve as a silent way for people to protest, leave room for imagination. They can be interpreted in any way and cannot be prosecuted because there is no writing.

Even though there is no writing on it, everyone knows that a blank A4 paper signifies a protest against the government. Rosen is confident that people are protesting simply to have the policies related to Covid-19 revoked so that the economic conditions in China can return to normal. The public needs concrete solutions from the government.

"I don't think many people believe that they can eliminate the Chinese Communist Party. I am sure they do not want to remove the party because there is no one to replace it," said Rosen.

However, the blank paper - much like a flag and a watermelon - has become a symbol of true justice, individual freedom, and resistance against "situations of oppression." It embodies the values of "One Piece," which has been embraced as an inspiration for the freedom movement.

Reflecting on that symbolism, many fans of "One Piece" interpret Luffy's journey as a metaphor against corrupt regimes, unjust laws, and information monopolies. It becomes a narrative of struggle against tyranny, motivating its readers to question the hegemony of authority and fight for freedom.