2019 is widely regarded as the “year of the protest,” as the world witnessed an unprecedented surge of protests, including those in Hong Kong, France, Russia and Iran. Now, in the wake of an ever more unprecedented surge of protests orchestrated by Gen Z across the globe — whether overthrowing corrupt governments or campus demonstrations — dubbed the ‘Gen-Z protests,’ it is believed 2025 could usurp 2019’s throne.
These worldwide movements have come to be known as the “Gen Z protests,” reflecting their broad demographic of young people born roughly between 1996 and 2010.
Of the handful of protests, the world’s eyes were fixed on one deadly uprising: the Nepalese Gen Z protests.
What began as a social media ban Sept. 8 soon spiraled into the parliament building being set ablaze after Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli resigned amid anti-corruption protests, and an election amongst young people for their next prime minister being held over social media platform, Discord.
Nepal’s protests were ignited by the government’s imposition of a “sweeping social media ban in an apparent attempt to silence dissent,” the youth’s refusal to be silenced amid mounting backlash over nepotism — a movement popularized under the hashtag, #nepobabies — and corruption.
Protesters drew widespread inspiration from other youth-led, successful and anti-government movements in South Asia, including the Aragalaya Protest Movement in Sri Lanka in 2022 and the July Revolution in Bangladesh in 2024, which resulted in the overthrow of incumbent regimes.
To the southeast of Nepal — in Southeast Asia —the Philippines and Indonesia bear similar fates. In the Philippines, since Sept. 4, Gen Z-led protests have been held over a corruption scandal involving flood-control funds.
Indonesia, from Aug. 25 to Sept. 9, witnessed a wave of student demonstrations over what they termed “corrupt elites,” policies benefiting conglomerates and the military, and strict austerity measures.
In turn, Malagasy protesters say the movements inspired them in Nepal and Sri Lanka. Protests initially began on Sept. 25 over water and electricity shortages but quickly morphed into an uprising against corruption, poor governance, and a lack of basic services. Demonstrators called for the president and other ministers to step down.
Madagascar’s President Andry Rajoelina fled the country Oct. 13, fearing for his life, following a military rebellion. The protests ended Oct. 14, marking the second time in 2025 that Gen Z protestors have successfully toppled a government in mere weeks.
Around the same time, since Sept. 27, Morocco has become the latest country to witness Gen Z-led protests. Protestors flood the street demanding better education and healthcare.
In Peru, young protestors have taken the nation by storm. The protests have been ongoing since Sept. 20. The demonstrations were sparked by a pension reform enacted earlier this month, which mandated that young individuals contribute to a private pension fund.
These movements have significantly brought into the limelight not only the generation’s political consciousness but also the impact of Gen Z as active actors in the political realm. That sense of unity resonates across borders, a belief emphasized by Suffolk University College Democrats President, Joey Pisani.
“The fight for liberation is a collective one that has no borders. I believe that ensuring justice everywhere is the only way to have it anywhere. As we see protests across the globe to end the genocide and occupation in Palestine, I believe our fights are all connected. As we see our generation leading movements to ensure racial justice and call out gun violence, I believe they are all connected,” said Pisani. “As people demand basic necessities here in the United States and as people fight to survive in Madagascar, I believe that those fights are connected. So without a doubt, every fight, action, and effort for liberation is connected, because they need to be in order for liberation to ever be achieved.”
Suffolk University student activist Brooke Alarie shares a similar belief.
“Seeing people protest in other countries for the same fight we’re engaged in here is incredibly inspiring. It reminds me that the issues we’re standing up for: justice, equality, freedom, aren’t confined by borders,” said Alarie. “It makes me feel secure in our mission, knowing that other nations stand in solidarity with us. It also adds a deeper sense of responsibility knowing that our movement is part of something much larger than ourselves, a worldwide push for progress and unity.”
For many young activists — particularly, Gen Z — this newfound influence reflects both a break from the past and a continuation of it.
“We have seen that throughout history, from student organizers in the civil rights era to anti-war and feminist movements. What feels different about Gen Z, though, is how we organize across borders and issues in ways that are more connected than ever. Our activism is more intersectional, more global, and more rooted in community than in any one leader or single cause,” said Annamarana Roberts-Briggs, a Suffolk University student activist.
These movements are the first to be made up primarily of a generation that grew up entirely in the age of the internet. Propelled by platforms like TikTok and X, Gen Z protests are characterized by their high mobility on social media. So much so that a single post, hashtag or viral video can evolve into a real-world rallying cry within hours.
Digital spaces have effectively become new public squares, where organization and activism unfold in real-time.
“Youth activism is only going to grow stronger in the next decade. With groups like 50501 spreading word online, and more and more young people becoming informed and involved due to social media, our generation is becoming educated and connected like never before,” said Alarie.
Pew Research Center findings show that 42% of U.S. social-media users say social media is very or somewhat important for getting involved in social or political issues.
“Our generation in particular has also chosen to leverage social media as a tool for activism. In some cases, this is highly productive; however, it also can be highly performative. I believe figuring out how to best use social media in organizing will continue to be a challenge for our generation. As well as keeping up stamina and remembering the importance of non-social media related organizing in real life, on the ground and in the community,” said Pisani.
Furthermore, amid numerous protests, including the recent “No Kings Protests” in the U.S., a prominent symbol has been a flag derived from the Japanese anime “One Piece,” depicting a Jolly Roger with a straw hat. The Jolly Roger flag in the anime represents the Straw Hat Pirates, the group of the anime’s main characters who challenge authority. Among youth protesters worldwide, it has been adopted as a broader emblem of “collective action” and “resistance to perceived unfairness.” As Robert-Briggs put it, these movements are not isolated; they’re parts of a collective fight against the same systems.
“I believe the issues we are fighting here in the U.S. are directly connected to what’s happening around the world. When I see young people in places like Nepal standing up against corruption, or others organizing for a free Palestine, or for gender and racial justice, it does not feel far away at all,” said Robert-Briggs. “We are all part of the same global movement pushing back against oppression. The borders might be different, but the systems we are fighting are often the same.”
The drums of liberation, once heard through Luffy’s pounding heart in “One Piece,” now echo in chants and marches across the world. And as those echoes reach even our own streets, voices like Alarie’s remind us that the rhythm of change begins at home.
“I cannot stress enough how important it is that everyone gets out and speaks up, no matter how you do it. It is so important that we all use our voices. At the end of the day, this is our country, not whoever’s in the White House, and our generation is our future,” said Alarie.
