Gen Z protests

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Gen Z protests
A flag from manga series One Piece is a frequent symbol in the protests
DateEarly-to-mid 2020s – ongoing
Location
Worldwide
Caused by
Methods

The Gen Z protests are several protests in countries around the world said to be predominantly led by the eponymous Generation Z during the 2020s. Although the causes of the protests differ per country, some common threads have been described by experts and media outlets, including corruption, inequality, and declining standards of living. Coordination and activism through social media is prevalent in each case, and some protests have resulted in the overthrow of national governments.

Causes

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The various demonstrations have had a myriad of causes, varying from country to country, however, they generally relate to dissatisfaction with ruling governments, economic turmoil, declining living standards, and a large, disaffected, often unemployed youth population.[1] The protests generally arose from mass dissatisfaction relating to government scandals, increasing difficulty of access to basic utilities and resources, and declining standards of living.[1][2][3]

In an interview with CBC News, professor Michelle Chen identified "frustration over poor governance, lack of opportunities and rampant inequality" as the common thread of the protests around the world.[4] Similarly, professor of politics and communication Bart Cammaerts in an interview with CNN claims that Gen Z feel "short changed" with "their interests not represented or taken into account" resulting into Gen Z becoming skeptical of liberal representative democracy despite still valuing democratic principles and decision making.[5]

History

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Coming of age

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See also: Political views of Generation Z

The George Floyd protests, prompted by the murder of George Floyd in 2020, were described as a "political coming of age" for Gen Z by Axios.[6] 90% of nearly 40,000 zoomers polled by Yubo in June of that year said they supported Black Lives Matter, a social movement against systemic racism and police brutality against Black Americans.[7] The George Floyd protestors of Gen Z were described as ethnically diverse,[8] but led by Black youth specifically.[9]

Rise of global "Gen Z protests"

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The Gen Z protests in Asia, also called "Asian Spring" in reference to the Arab Spring, were identified by Le Monde as having begun with the Aragalaya protests in Sri Lanka in 2022.[10] The term was later used to describe the 2024 Kenya Finance Bill protests, a largely youth-led mass protest movement against a controversial tax hike.[11] The term garnered wider global popularity following the ousting of the Nepali government in 2025 and a string of concurrent protests that occurred around and after it.[12][failed verification] The Gen Z protests were said by Time in October 2025 to have reached the continents of Asia, Africa, and South America.[13] Media scholar Shana MacDonald opined that 2025 would be seen in the future as "the year of the protest".[4]

Methods

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Social media

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Social media was commonly used as a platform to help organize and coordinate these protests.[13][14][15] Protestors in Morocco and Nepal frequently communicated via the messaging platform Discord.[16][17] Other digital platforms like Instagram, TikTok and Telegram have also been used with these tools enabling "decentralized, real-time coordination, rapid information sharing, and viral symbols that unify diverse groups from across the globe".[5]

For example, in Morocco, GenZ 212 Discord server surged from 3,000 members to over 150,000 members by 2 October showing the rapid spread of the movement among youth.[18] Online coordination, in particular using Discord, was also used for a followup political process in the Nepalese case: the online election of a temporary prime minister for a transitionary period.[19][20] On the usage of technology and social media, senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Steven Feldstein, said "This is what [Gen Zs] grew up with, this is how they communicate… How this generation organises itself is a natural manifestation of that".[21]

Symbols

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Protestor waving the Straw Hat Pirates' Jolly Roger in front of the Ayala Bridge in Manila

In various Gen Z protests, the Straw Hat Pirates' Jolly Roger from the manga One Piece has been used as a "rallying cry and symbol for youth-led protest movements"[22] and a "symbol of freedom and a voice against injustice". This flag was first used in the protests in Indonesia.[23][24] It has also been used in Nepal,[25] Philippines,[26] Peru[24] and Madagascar.[27] According to Andrea Horbinski, who has a PHD in modern Japanese history. protestors use the Straw Hat flag "in solidarity with other protesters in other countries who have recently famously flown the flag themselves". She also argues that what makes the flag so powerful is that it a "common narrative".[28]

In other Southeast Asian countries, other pop culture symbols also have been used to signal defiance, among them references to Harry Potter and the three-finger salute from The Hunger Games.[26] Raqib Naik, director of the Center for the Study of Organized Hate, said "I think we are entering a new era of organizing that draws heavily from digital, pop and gaming culture, creating a common vocabulary".[29] The response to the use of the Straw Hat flag has been harsh, with an Indonesian lawmaker saying it was an attempt to divide national unity and another suggesting it could amount to treason.[26] This prompted Amnesty International to issue a statement defending the freedom of expression of protestors.[28] When the government of K. P. Sharma Oli was toppled in Nepal, protesters hung the flag at the gates of the Singha Durbar palace as it burned.[22] The usage of the Straw Hat flag has mostly been in Asia with limited use also in Madagascar.[30]

Demonstrations identified as "Gen Z protests"

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Countries described as having "Gen Z protests"[31]
  Countries with protests   Countries with protests that have toppled their governments

Current

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Country Protest Duration Cause(s) Ref.
Madagascar 2025 Malagasy protests 25 September 2025 – present
  • Standards of living
 [13]
Morocco 2025 Moroccan Gen Z protests 27 September 2025 – present [13]
Peru 2025 Peruvian protests 20 September 2025 – present [32]
Philippines September 2025 Philippine protests 12 September 2025 – present [13]
Serbia 2024–present Serbian anti-corruption protests 1 November 2024 - present [33]

Ended

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Country Protest Duration Cause(s) Ref.
Bangladesh July Revolution 1 July – 5 August 2024 [34]
Indonesia August 2025 Indonesian protests 25 August – 9 September 2025 [13]
Kenya Kenya Finance Bill protests 18 June – 8 August 2024 [12]
Mongolia 2025 Mongolian protests 14 May 2025 – 3 June 2025 [35]
  Nepal 2025 Nepalese Gen Z protests 8–13 September 2025 [13]
Sri Lanka Aragalaya March – July 2022
  • Economic decline
 [34]
Turkey 2025 Turkish protests 19 March 2025 – 1 July 2025 [36]

References

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  1. ^ a b Kimathi, Sharon Kits; Kimathi, Sharon Kits (2025-10-02). "Sustainable Switch: Gen Z protests spread across the globe". Reuters. Retrieved 2025-10-03.
  2. ^ "How Gen Z-led protests are rattling governments across Asia". NBC News. 2025-09-15. Retrieved 2025-10-03.
  3. ^ "Gen Z and student protests". Deutsche Welle. Retrieved 2025-10-03.
  4. ^ a b Stechyson, Natalie (3 October 2025). "Gen-Z protests are spreading globally. What's driving this youth-led movement?". CBC News. Retrieved 3 October 2025.
  5. ^ a b Fox, Kara (2025-10-04). "From Morocco to Madagascar, Gen Z is taking digital dissent offline". CNN. Retrieved 2025-10-04.
  6. ^ Ayesh, Rashaan (2020-06-20). "Gen Z comes of age protesting the death of George Floyd". Axios. Retrieved 2025-10-05.
  7. ^ Davis, Dominic-Madori. "THE ACTION GENERATION: How Gen Z really feels about race, equality, and its role in the historic George Floyd protests, based on a survey of 39,000 young Americans". Business Insider. Retrieved 2025-10-05.
  8. ^ Johnson, Katanga (8 June 2020). "From social media to the streets: 'Gen Z' activists rally". The Christian Science Monitor. ISSN 0882-7729. Retrieved 2025-10-05.
  9. ^ Bryant, Miranda (2020-06-15). "'It was time to take charge': the Black youth leading the George Floyd protests". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2025-10-05.
  10. ^ Dieterich, Carole; Landrin, Sophie; Pedroletti, Brice (2025-09-29). "Asia's Gen Z rises up against entrenched political elites". Le Monde. Retrieved 2025-10-03.
  11. ^ Mbugua, Judy. "Why Kenya's Gen Z Has Taken to the Streets". Journal of Democracy. Retrieved 2025-10-03.
  12. ^ a b Bartlett, Kate (2025-10-02). "From Madagascar to Morocco: Gen Z protests shake Africa". NPR. Retrieved 2025-10-03.
  13. ^ a b c d e f g Greene, Connor (2025-10-02). "What to Know About the 'Gen Z' Protests Around the World". TIME. Retrieved 2025-10-03.
  14. ^ Chow, Yanni (2025-10-01). "The Rise and Spread of Gen Z Protests". Vision of Humanity. Retrieved 2025-10-03.
  15. ^ Ikoku, Obiora (2025-09-07). "A Year Later, Africa's Gen Z Uprising Is Only More Emboldened". ZNetwork. Retrieved 2025-10-03.
  16. ^ Sauvage, Grégoire (2025-10-02). "Generation Z is stirring up rebellion across borders, from Morocco to Madagascar". France 24. Retrieved 2025-10-03.
  17. ^ Taheri, Mandy (2025-10-03). "From Morocco to Nepal, Gen Z Is Using Discord To Rise Up". Newsweek. Retrieved 2025-10-03.
  18. ^ Eljechtimi, Ahmed (2025-10-02). "Morocco's prime minister calls for dialogue as nightly protests grow more violent". Reuters. Retrieved 2025-10-02.
  19. ^ Samik Kharel (15 September 2025). "'More egalitarian': How Nepal's Gen Z used gaming app Discord to pick PM". aljazeera.com. Wikidata Q136433026. Archived from the original on 16 September 2025.
  20. ^ Baskar, Pranav (11 September 2025). "Nepal's Social Media Ban Backfires as Politics Moves to a Chat Room". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2025-09-17. Retrieved 12 September 2025.
  21. ^ Wong, Tessa (2025-09-23). "Gen Z uprising in Asia shows social media is a double-edged sword". BBC News. Retrieved 2025-10-04.
  22. ^ a b Harvey, Lex (2025-09-20). "This Japanese manga flag has become a global protest symbol for Gen Z". CNN. Retrieved 2025-10-03.
  23. ^ "How a fictional flag fueled real-life revolution". The Kathmandu Post. 26 September 2025. Retrieved 2 October 2025.
  24. ^ a b "Hoist the jolly manga: Gen Z protesters rally to One Piece pirate flag". France 24. 2025-10-03. Retrieved 2025-10-05.
  25. ^ "Why this animated pirate flag has become part of Gen Z-led protests worldwide".
  26. ^ a b c Ratcliffe, Rebecca (2025-09-24). "'A symbol of liberation': how the One Piece manga flag became the symbol of Asia's gen Z protest movement". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2025-10-03.
  27. ^ Tétaud, Sarah (2025-09-25). "Madagascar imposes nighttime curfew after violent protests over water and power cuts". AP News. Retrieved 2025-10-03.
  28. ^ a b Bartlett, Kate (2025-10-05). "Why Gen Z protesters worldwide are flying an anime pirate flag". NPR. Retrieved 2025-10-05.
  29. ^ Bennhold, Katrin; Baskar, Pranav (30 September 2025). "The Activists and the Anime". The New York Times. Retrieved 2025-10-05.
  30. ^ Chow, Yanni (2025-10-01). "The Rise and Spread of Gen Z Protests". Vision of Humanity. Retrieved 2025-10-04.
  31. ^ Buchholz, Katharina (2025-10-01). "Infographic: Where Gen Z Protests Are Rocking the World". Statista Daily Data. Retrieved 2025-10-04.
  32. ^ Buschschlüter, Vanessa (2025-09-29). "Young Peruvians clash with police in anti-government protests". BBC News. Retrieved 2025-10-03.
  33. ^ Üçok, Ecem Nazlı. "How Gen-Z students are leading transnational resistance". European Consortium for Political Research. Retrieved 2025-10-06.
  34. ^ a b Sharma, Yashraj. "Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka: Is South Asia fertile for Gen Z revolutions?". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2025-10-03.
  35. ^ "Gen Z anger at ruling elites is erupting across the world". The Straits Times. 2025-10-04. ISSN 0585-3923. Retrieved 2025-10-04.
  36. ^ "A new threat to Erdogan: Gen Z". The Economist. ISSN 0013-0613. Archived from the original on 3 June 2025. Retrieved 2025-10-03.