French students marched under the One Piece straw hat flag, the same skull Gen Z protesters carried in Nepal before the government fell

French students marched through Paris, Lyon, and Montpellier on October 17, 2026, flying the Straw Hat Pirates flag from One Piece. As detailed in a report published on MSN, the flag is part of a wider wave of anime references at the student protests, blending political expression with internet humor and fandom.

References from shows like One Piece, Naruto, Dragon Ball, and Jujutsu Kaisen have featured heavily in the demonstrations. One phrase circulating around the protests, as highlighted in the report, declared that “The world will be saved by Otakus.”

One of the most visible symbols at the gatherings is the Jolly Roger of the Straw Hat Pirates, the skull wearing a straw hat that belongs to Monkey D. Luffy and his crew. Their adventures center on freedom, friendship, and challenging powerful authorities, and the flag has become a symbol of resistance. Le Parisien reported that the flag was spotted in Paris, Lyon, and Montpellier. The symbol has also appeared in youth-led movements in Nepal, Madagascar, and Indonesia as a sign of defiance and solidarity.

The anime references go well beyond the flags

Students have shown up in full costumes, referenced characters, and brought internet jokes into the protests, giving the scene a distinctly Gen Z aesthetic. One user on X wrote, “France has assembled the anime Avengers.” Posts on the platform described anime characters being spotted at the protests, with fans in cosplay as Goku, Luffy, Piccolo, and more.

Another widely recognized reference is the viral “Nah, I’d win” catchphrase tied to Satoru Gojo from Jujutsu Kaisen. The phrase is common in memes as shorthand for unshakable confidence and refusing to back down from a challenge. Students have used it to show defiance and solidarity through internet humor, with one user online calling the protests “the ultimate crossover.”

The trend has drawn wide attention online. One user called the French “visionaries” for it, while others pointed to Dragon Ball’s cultural impact in France, noting that its characters appear everywhere from shop owners to protesters.

Protesters also reportedly made an anime-style opening for the October 17 protest. A user on X called the references, editing, and music “LEGENDARY,” adding, “It feels like the start of a new anime arc.”

The October 17 demonstrations also saw clashes, arson, and looting in several French cities. Injuries have been a recurring concern throughout the school protests, including a 16-year-old in Tours who lost the use of an eye after a rubber-bullet shot, a case in which a police officer has been charged.

The broader student movement, now weeks old, has centered on demands for better-resourced schools, replacements for absent teachers, and repairs to run-down buildings, per The Guardian. Le Monde reported that Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu shared a provisional count of 1,200 arrests and 150 injured law enforcement officers from the October 17 unrest alone.