The rage against the political establishment in the Indian Ocean island country mirrors other recent protests across the world, in countries like Nepal<\/a>, the Philippines<\/a>, Indonesia<\/a>, Kenya<\/a>, Peru<\/a> and Morocco<\/a>. These protests have been sparked by specific grievances but are driven by long-simmering issues like widening inequality, economic uncertainty, corruption, and nepotism of leaders.<\/p>\n But they have one thing in common: Mostly leaderless, they are made up primarily of young people who brand themselves as \u201cGen Z,\u201d defined as those born roughly between 1996 and 2010 \u2014 the first generation to grow up entirely in the internet age. <\/p>\n \u201cWhat connects these youth-led protests is a shared sense that traditional political systems aren\u2019t responsive to their generation\u2019s concerns, whether that\u2019s corruption, climate change, or economic inequality. Protest then becomes the logical outlet when institutional channels feel blocked,\u201d said Sam Nadel, director of Social Change Lab, a U.K.-based nonprofit that researches protests and social movements. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n People take part in a youth-led protest against corruption and calling for education and healthcare reforms, in Rabat, Morocco, Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025. (AP Photo\/Mosa\u2019ab Elshamy)<\/p>\n People take part in a youth-led protest against corruption and calling for education and healthcare reforms, in Rabat, Morocco, Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025. (AP Photo\/Mosa\u2019ab Elshamy)<\/p>\n Read More<\/p>\n Protesters take cues from each other<\/p>\n Though their specific demands differ, most of these protests have been sparked by government overreach or neglect. Some have also confronted harsh treatment by security forces and brutal repression.<\/p>\n In Morocco, a leaderless collective called Gen Z 212 \u2014 named after Morocco\u2019s dialing code \u2014 has taken to the streets<\/a> to demand better public services and increased spending on health and education. In Peru, protests over a pension law exploded into broader demands<\/a>, including action to tackle rising insecurity and widespread corruption in the government. In Indonesia, deadly protests<\/a> have erupted over lawmakers\u2019 perks and the cost of living, forcing the president to replace key economic and security ministers. <\/p>\n The most widely recognized movement to be dubbed as a \u201cGen Z\u201d protest was a deadly uprising in Nepal that culminated with the resignation of the prime minister<\/a> in September. Protesters drew inspiration from successful anti-government movements elsewhere in South Asia<\/a> \u2014 Sri Lanka in 2022 and Bangladesh in 2024 \u2014 which led to the ouster of incumbent regimes.<\/p>\n In Madagascar in turn, protesters say they were particularly inspired by the movements in Nepal and Sri Lanka. <\/p>\n The protests began against regular water and electricity cuts<\/a> but quickly morphed into wider discontent, as demonstrators called for the president and other ministers to step down. On Wednesday, Madagascar\u2019s military coup leader said he is \u201ctaking the position of president.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n A man injured in the Sept. 8 anti-corruption protest gathers with others outside the Central Administration office to hand over a memorandum demanding treatment for the wounded, proper records of the injured and dead, legal action against those who ordered the firing, in Kathmandu, Nepal, Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025. (AP Photo\/Niranjan Shrestha)<\/p>\n A man injured in the Sept. 8 anti-corruption protest gathers with others outside the Central Administration office to hand over a memorandum demanding treatment for the wounded, proper records of the injured and dead, legal action against those who ordered the firing, in Kathmandu, Nepal, Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025. (AP Photo\/Niranjan Shrestha)<\/p>\n Read More<\/p>\n Uniting behind a manga pirate flag<\/p>\n Across multiple countries, a singular pop culture symbol has emerged: a black flag showing a grinning skull and crossbones wearing a straw hat. The flag comes from a cult Japanese manga and anime series called \u201cOne Piece,\u201d which follows a crew of pirates as they take on corrupt governments.<\/p>\n In Nepal, protesters hung the same flag on the gates of the Singha Durbar, the seat of the Nepalese government, and on ministries, many of which were torched in protests. It was also hoisted by crowds in Indonesia, the Philippines, Morocco and Madagascar.<\/p>\n Last week in the Peruvian capital, Lima, 27-year-old electrician David Tafur stood with the same flag in San Mart\u00edn Square, now the stage for weekly protests.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re fighting the same battle \u2014 against corrupt officials who, in our case, are also killers,\u201d he said, recalling that President Dina Boluarte\u2019s government held on to power since December 2022 despite more than 500 protests and the deaths of 50 civilians.<\/p>\n \u201cIn my case, it\u2019s outrage over abuse of power, corruption, the deaths,\u201d Tafur said, referring to the sharp rise in murders and extortion plaguing the South American country since 2017, amid new laws that have weakened efforts to fight crime.<\/p>\n Boluarte had been under investigation for months over various allegations including bribery and involvement in a deadly crackdown on protesters in 2022. She was replaced last week by interim President Jos\u00e9 Jer\u00ed.<\/p>\n Tafur said that wasn\u2019t enough.<\/p>\n \u201cThe president is an ally of Congress and has to go,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Harnessing social media for mobilization and awareness<\/p>\n Many significant protests in the past, like Occupy Wall Street in 2011, the Arab Spring between 2010 and 2012, and the 2014 Umbrella Revolution in Hong Kong, have been led by younger people. While they also used the internet and social media for mass mobilization, the \u201cGen Z\u201d protesters are taking it to another level.<\/p>\n \u201cDigital platforms are powerful tools for information sharing and building connections, but the most effective movements often combine digital mobilization with traditional in-person organizing, as we\u2019ve seen in these recent protests,\u201d said Nadel from Social Change Lab.<\/p>\n Days before the deadly protests began in Nepal, the government announced a ban on most social media platforms for not complying with a registration deadline. Many young Nepalese viewed it as an attempt to silence them and began accessing social media sites through virtual private networks to evade detection.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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