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INTEREST: One Piece's Jolly Roger Flag Flies in Protest in Indonesia




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GATSU



Joined: 03 Jan 2002
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 15, 2025 10:18 pm Reply with quote
Surprised they didn't combine it with those V for Vendetta masks.
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Top Gun



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PostPosted: Fri Aug 15, 2025 10:56 pm Reply with quote
No one punches totalitarian dictators in the face better than Luffy.
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Doubleclouder



Joined: 07 Jan 2024
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 15, 2025 11:00 pm Reply with quote
GATSU wrote:
Surprised they didn't combine it with those V for Vendetta masks.


I'm not familiar at all with Indonesian politics or what the motives of these protestors are but V for Vendetta would make more sense if these protesters are just anarchists looking to reject any kind of government or authority. Despite being pirates Luffy and the Straw Hats have helped out many forms of government and rule throughout their journey like Alabasta, Fishman Island, Dressrosa, and Wano. If people want to use a flag that represents anarchy then perhaps another crew's would work better.
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Mizlude



Joined: 30 Jun 2025
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PostPosted: Sat Aug 16, 2025 1:32 am Reply with quote
Top Gun wrote:
No one punches totalitarian dictators in the face better than Luffy.


Prabowo isn't a dictator, though. He was democratically elected by the people and his approval rating seems quite high at 80.9% after the first 100 days in office.

This just seems like a minority group of people not liking him for whatever reason and simply using a popular anime symbol in their protests.
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Egan Loo



Joined: 25 Feb 2005
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PostPosted: Sat Aug 16, 2025 2:17 am Reply with quote
Doubleclouder wrote:
GATSU wrote:
Surprised they didn't combine it with those V for Vendetta masks.


I'm not familiar at all with Indonesian politics or what the motives of these protestors are but V for Vendetta would make more sense if these protesters are just anarchists looking to reject any kind of government or authority.


Even though writer Alan Moore has been critical of people interpreting his V for Vendetta story without its anarchistic themes, he's been more accepting about protestors of every stripe — not just anarchistic ones — using the Guy Fawkes mask:

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2011/nov/27/alan-moore-v-vendetta-mask-protest

(After all, the original, historical Guy Fawkes wasn't an anarchist either.)
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Egan Loo



Joined: 25 Feb 2005
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PostPosted: Sat Aug 16, 2025 2:53 am Reply with quote
Mizlude wrote:
This just seems like a minority group of people not liking him for whatever reason and simply using a popular anime symbol in their protests.


The current Indonesian administration has had high approval ratings, particularly early on. However, several of its recent policies have been less popular. For example, as noted in the news reports, the calls and attempts to ban the One Piece flag by some in the government have only made the flag more popular.

https://time.com/7309534/indonesia-one-piece-pirate-flag-protest-prabowo-free-speech-criticism/
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Hellsoldier



Joined: 21 Jun 2013
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Location: Porto,Portugal,Europe,Earth,Sol
PostPosted: Sat Aug 16, 2025 7:52 am Reply with quote
I would like to remind people that high popularity does not a non-authoritarian make. This current president is accused of past involvement in war atrocities in Timor-Leste, an issue of relevance, particularly if you're Portuguese. There are also accusations of corruption (typical), involvement in kidnapping of pro-democracy activists under the dictator Suharto.

This is just a little bit of the controversies surrounding this man. I don't exactly know the full extent of the motivations behind the protests, but Indonesia is a recent, and rather instable, democracy.
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Meongantuk



Joined: 03 Jun 2016
Posts: 385
PostPosted: Sat Aug 16, 2025 1:39 pm Reply with quote
Mizlude wrote:
Top Gun wrote:
No one punches totalitarian dictators in the face better than Luffy.


Prabowo isn't a dictator, though. He was democratically elected by the people and his approval rating seems quite high at 80.9% after the first 100 days in office.

This just seems like a minority group of people not liking him for whatever reason and simply using a popular anime symbol in their protests.


Eh, as someone who actually live in Indonesia, Prabowo's government has been notorious for manipulating or just pulling the numbers straight from his ass. That 80% approval ratings included (they never give the data, just number). The country is one step away from rioting due to continuous obviously corrupt policies and Prabowo himself being senile (if not delusional) enough that made Trump looks like a hyper competent guy.
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BadNewsBlues



Joined: 21 Sep 2014
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PostPosted: Sat Aug 16, 2025 8:16 pm Reply with quote
Mizlude wrote:
Prabowo isn't a dictator, though. He was democratically elected by the people and his approval rating seems quite high at 80.9% after the first 100 days in office.


Being democratically elected can put a politician on the path to becoming a a dictator though. You’d be surprised at the number of people willing to set aside their humanity (& common sense) if it means getting something they think they want at someone else’s expense.
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L'Imperatore



Joined: 24 Mar 2014
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PostPosted: Sat Aug 16, 2025 9:13 pm Reply with quote
Go past August and this controversy will be completely forgotten, on to the next one.
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CreativelyFwrd



Joined: 04 Oct 2024
Posts: 99
PostPosted: Sat Aug 16, 2025 9:47 pm Reply with quote
L'Imperatore wrote:
Go past August and this controversy will be completely forgotten, on to the next one.


Is it even a controversy? I guess people can see protestors using a flag with a skull on it as being interpreted as some kind of threat of violence or something but otherwise it's just nerds using fictional characters in their protest to get attention and capitalize on a popular thing and get attention.
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Yu Ominae



Joined: 21 Sep 2008
Posts: 75
PostPosted: Sat Aug 16, 2025 10:19 pm Reply with quote
Hellsoldier wrote:
I would like to remind people that high popularity does not a non-authoritarian make. This current president is accused of past involvement in war atrocities in Timor-Leste, an issue of relevance, particularly if you're Portuguese. There are also accusations of corruption (typical), involvement in kidnapping of pro-democracy activists under the dictator Suharto.

This is just a little bit of the controversies surrounding this man. I don't exactly know the full extent of the motivations behind the protests, but Indonesia is a recent, and rather instable, democracy.


Prabowo’s caught in the Paradise Papers controversy. Not to mention that the People's Consultative Assembly passed the revised Law No. 34 of 2004 on the Indonesian National Armed Forces, which would allow the TNI to have more involvement in the government than what they’re allowed to do.

Don’t forget that he’s doing the whitewashing of his TNI service by using tactics done by Marcos Jr.

https://www.kompas.id/artikel/en-uu-tni-baru-diberlakukan-apa-saja-perubahan-dan-dampaknya
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Hellsoldier



Joined: 21 Jun 2013
Posts: 1156
Location: Porto,Portugal,Europe,Earth,Sol
PostPosted: Sat Aug 16, 2025 11:39 pm Reply with quote
Yu Ominae wrote:
Hellsoldier wrote:
I would like to remind people that high popularity does not a non-authoritarian make. This current president is accused of past involvement in war atrocities in Timor-Leste, an issue of relevance, particularly if you're Portuguese. There are also accusations of corruption (typical), involvement in kidnapping of pro-democracy activists under the dictator Suharto.

This is just a little bit of the controversies surrounding this man. I don't exactly know the full extent of the motivations behind the protests, but Indonesia is a recent, and rather instable, democracy.


Prabowo’s caught in the Paradise Papers controversy. Not to mention that the People's Consultative Assembly passed the revised Law No. 34 of 2004 on the Indonesian National Armed Forces, which would allow the TNI to have more involvement in the government than what they’re allowed to do.

Don’t forget that he’s doing the whitewashing of his TNI service by using tactics done by Marcos Jr.

https://www.kompas.id/artikel/en-uu-tni-baru-diberlakukan-apa-saja-perubahan-dan-dampaknya


Meaning, a gradual reversal to the Suharto era, in practice. I mean, according to what you just shared, active soldiers can gain political involvement. Yikes.

And there seems to be no historical memory in the Philippines either.
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Yu Ominae



Joined: 21 Sep 2008
Posts: 75
PostPosted: Sun Aug 17, 2025 1:20 am Reply with quote
Hellsoldier wrote:
Yu Ominae wrote:
Hellsoldier wrote:
I would like to remind people that high popularity does not a non-authoritarian make. This current president is accused of past involvement in war atrocities in Timor-Leste, an issue of relevance, particularly if you're Portuguese. There are also accusations of corruption (typical), involvement in kidnapping of pro-democracy activists under the dictator Suharto.

This is just a little bit of the controversies surrounding this man. I don't exactly know the full extent of the motivations behind the protests, but Indonesia is a recent, and rather instable, democracy.


Prabowo’s caught in the Paradise Papers controversy. Not to mention that the People's Consultative Assembly passed the revised Law No. 34 of 2004 on the Indonesian National Armed Forces, which would allow the TNI to have more involvement in the government than what they’re allowed to do.

And yeah, the TNI trying to get their slimy hands again isn’t going to end well again.
Don’t forget that he’s doing the whitewashing of his TNI service by using tactics done by Marcos Jr.

https://www.kompas.id/artikel/en-uu-tni-baru-diberlakukan-apa-saja-perubahan-dan-dampaknya


Meaning, a gradual reversal to the Suharto era, in practice. I mean, according to what you just shared, active soldiers can gain political involvement. Yikes.

And there seems to be no historical memory in the Philippines either.


I’ve seen what the New Order did back then when I had to read up on Indonesia in modern day politics. Prabowo doesn’t hide his admiration for it last I heard even though he’s denying that he’s an autocrat.
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