Overview

• Indonesians nationwide have continued displaying the Straw Hat pirate flag from One Piece alongside the national banner in the run-up to the 80th Independence Day.
• Deputy House Speaker Sufmi Dasco Ahmad labeled the flag hoisting a “coordinated attempt to divide the nation” and warned it threatens unity.
• PDI-P lawmaker Deddy Yevri Sitorus defended the trend as a form of democratic criticism that offers a safer outlet than street protests.
• Deputy Home Affairs Minister Bima Arya Sugiarto affirmed there will be no prohibition on the flag as long as its use does not violate constitutional limits.
• The Straw Hat emblem’s origins as a symbol of rebellion in One Piece have resonated against a backdrop of global scrutiny over Indonesia’s free speech restrictions.