The act of flying pirate flags associated with the One Piece manga has once again drawn global attention ahead of Indonesia’s Independence Day. This time, British media outlet BBC highlighted the phenomenon in an article titled "How a cartoon skull became a symbol of defiance in Indonesia".

BBC reported that the Jolly Roger flag—closely linked to the Straw Hat Pirates in One Piece—has been appearing in various places since late July 2025. The flags have been spotted on house doors, the backs of cars, and even painted on walls.

“In July, these symbols began to appear across Indonesia… For many, they represent a response to President Prabowo Subianto’s call for citizens to fly the national Red-and-White flag ahead of Independence Day on August 17,” the BBC wrote on Friday (8/8/2025).

“Instead, some residents chose to fly pirate flags as a sign of dissatisfaction with a government they see as increasingly centralized,” the report continued.

One Piece, created by Eiichiro Oda and first published in 1997, is one of the world’s most popular franchises. It has sold over 520 million copies, boasts more than 1,100 TV episodes, and has a massive fan base in Indonesia.

“Just as the pirates in the series raise the Jolly Roger as a symbol of freedom, some Indonesians see flying this flag as an expression of love for their country—though not necessarily agreement with government policies,” the BBC noted.

Other international outlets, including Malay Mail and the South China Morning Post (SCMP), also covered the trend.

Malay Mail ran a story titled "In Indonesia, truckers have turned 'One Piece' Straw Hat Pirates flag into a protest symbol ahead of Independence Day". The report described how truck drivers adopted the One Piece flag as a protest against the over dimension over loading (ODOL) regulations.

“Flying the Indonesian flag has been a tradition for truck drivers during the independence month. But now, they are replacing it with the One Piece flag as a sign of dissatisfaction with the government,” Malay Mail wrote on Wednesday (6/8/2025).

Meanwhile, SCMP published "Indonesians fly anime pirate flag in Independence Day protest", describing the flag as a symbol of “a spirit of resistance against injustice” still felt among the working class.

The trend has sparked debate within Indonesia. Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Bima Arya Sugiarto said flying the pirate flag can be seen as an exercise of free expression, as long as it does not violate the constitution.

However, Minister of Human Rights Natalius Pigai reminded the public that the government has the authority to prohibit its use if deemed to insult the national symbol.

“If flown alongside the national flag or used in a provocative context, it could be considered a legal violation or even incitement,” Pigai warned.