Youth protests under One Piece banner
Teenagers in Albania, the United Kingdom, France, and Italy have been marching for over a month with a black flag featuring a skull and a straw hat, a symbol from the popular manga One Piece. The protests have drawn responses from governments, which have deployed security forces to manage the demonstrations.Italian government mobilizes soldiers
On October 20, 2026, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced the deployment of 500 soldiers to Milan to support police following clashes in the city. The military presence is set to continue until the end of the year.French authorities prepare for new protests
In France, Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez announced plans to mobilize soldiers and launch a "massive" security operation in anticipation of a new demonstration scheduled for October 24. The move reflects growing concerns about the scale and intensity of the protests.Youth movements lack a unified identity
Jean-François Bayart, a sociologist at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva, questions whether students in France and Italy are aware of similar youth movements in Indonesia, Nepal, Bangladesh, Madagascar, or Morocco. While some demands overlap, each country’s youth movement has its own unique historical and cultural context.National symbols shape protest narratives
In France, demonstrators referenced the 1961 massacre of Algerians, an event with no direct resonance for Italian students. Conversely, some Italian protesters may draw on historical events like the Red Brigades, a Marxist-Leninist group active in the 1970s, or the 2001 anti-G8 protests in Genoa.Global youth movements have distinct causes
In August 2025, Indonesian youth protested against corruption and police violence. In July 2026, Indian students demanded the resignation of an education minister over exam fraud. In Albania, youth opposed a tourist development project linked to U.S. investor Jared Kushner.Youth demands vary by national context
Valérie Becquet, a professor specializing in youth mobilization, notes that in Spain and Italy, protests focus on housing due to "familialist" models where young people live with their parents until they secure independent housing. This reflects broader issues of personal independence and economic stability.Generation Z struggles with political engagement
Despite shared goals around wealth distribution, Generation Z faces political challenges. Jean-François Bayart argues that while these movements can destabilize governments, they often lack organization and a clear political agenda, leading to limited success. In Madagascar in 2025, student protests led to a military coup.Pandemic impact on youth development
Bayart highlights that lockdowns during the pandemic disrupted youth development, affecting social relationships outside the family. In France, the reintroduction of curfews has reactivated painful memories for some young people, according to the researcher.Generational divide in political discourse
Gökçe Tuncel, a sociologist studying social movements, notes a generational gap in political discussions. Some teenagers avoid talking about protests with their parents, leading to family conflicts and even phone disconnections to escape conversations about demonstrations. French President Emmanuel Macron has proposed strategies to address the intense digital connectivity of young people.
