From Turkey protests to US ‘Hands Off’ rallies: How Pikachu has become a mascot of resistance

He’s small, yellow, and shoots bolts of lightning—but recently, Pikachu has shocked the world for reasons far beyond Pokemon battles. Once known purely as a beloved cartoon character, Pikachu is now emerging as a symbol of political defiance.

From the recent
Hands off! protest in the United States, to Turkey’s
anti-Erdogan protest last month, the iconic cartoon character has been seen at the heart of demonstrations globally.

Here’s how Pikachu is evolving into the mascot for dissent worldwide.

Pikachu takes a stand in the US

Saturday saw one of the biggest waves of protests in the US in recent times, with over 1,200 “Hands Off!” rallies breaking out across all 50 states. The message? A loud pushback against President Donald Trump and his billionaire adviser, Elon Musk.

From Alaska’s Anchorage to Miami, and from Seattle’s Space Needle to downtown LA, people came out in full force to protest what they believe is a government trying to strip away public services and silence dissent.

But in the middle of all the placards, chants, and marching crowds, one unexpected bright yellow rodent with red cheeks and pointy ears stood out.

The beloved cartoon character was seen dancing through the streets of Washington, DC, and New York City. Holding a sign that read “End Oppression,” the Pikachu quickly became the unlikely star of the day.

Social media exploded. The hashtag #ProtestPikachu started trending across the US.

GIANT PIKACHU spotted at anti-Trump protest in Washington DC. pic.twitter.com/iUcyiQpLTF

— Ford Fischer (@FordFischer) April 5, 2025

‘Pikachu against all dictators,” one person tweeted. Another wrote, “PIKACHU FIGHTING AGAINST EVIL WHEREVER IT CAN.”

Someone even dropped full-on Pokemon lyrics, tweeting: “Pikachus will save the world. I wanna be the very best. Like no one ever was. To catch them is my real test. To train them is my cause.” Another added, “He needs to run from gas. This is so peaceful.”

The Hands off! protest over the weekend pulled together civil rights groups, LGBTQ+ advocates, unions, veterans, and local community leaders, all pushing back against the administration’s contentious immigration policies, drastic cuts to public services, government downsizing, and social policy shifts.

At the Washington rally, Kelley Robinson, president of the Human Rights Campaign, said, “The attacks that we’re seeing, they’re not just political. They are personal, y’all,” as per AP. “They’re trying to ban our books, they’re slashing HIV prevention funding, they’re criminalising our doctors, our teachers, our families and our lives.”

She ended with, “We don’t want this America, y’all. We want the America we deserve, where dignity, safety and freedom belong not to some of us, but to all of us.”

The protests have been the largest since Trump took charge in January. However, the sight of Pikachu waving at the crowd brought some light-heartedness (and thunder) to it all.

Pikachu vs police in Turkey

The US isn’t the only place where Pikachu has popped up as a symbol of resistance. Just days before the “Hands Off!” rallies, a very similar scene played out in
Turkey—this time in response to the arrest of Istanbul’s opposition mayor,
Ekrem Imamoglu.

As demonstrators filled the streets of Istanbul, protesting what many saw as a politically motivated move, one protester in particular grabbed everyone’s attention. Dressed head-to-toe in a giant inflatable Pikachu costume, the lone figure marched with the crowd until chaos broke out.

Footage from the protest showed police deploying water cannons to disperse the gathering. And there, caught in the spray, was Pikachu—soaked, sprinting away, and instantly turning into a viral moment.

Pikachu, who joined the protests against Erdogan, is running from the police intervention. The world is getting crazier day by day. pic.twitter.com/z7byntdsib

— Creepy.org (@creepydotorg) March 27, 2025

The image of a drenched Pikachu quickly became a visual symbol of the growing anger against President Erdogan’s government.

According to Reuters, the protests weren’t limited to Istanbul. Thousands took to the streets in Antalya as well, with the inflatable Pikachu joining demonstrators who were demanding Imamoglu’s release.

The 54-year-old mayor—who is facing charges of political corruption and terrorism—is widely seen as President Tayyip Erdogan’s biggest challenger in the upcoming 2028 election. Municipal officials told Al Jazeera English that nearly 15 million people had voted for Imamoglu in a presidential primary.

But why Pikachu?

According to experience researcher Beliz Yuksel, it’s partly because Pikachu is instantly recognisable among youngsters, no matter one’s country or language.

“The protesters are mostly young citizens and students, so they are using what they have in their hands, and of course, they will use the elements of popular culture since they are the primary consumers of it,” she wrote on Medium. “The Pikachu costume is perhaps a joke or a practical layer of protection against police violence. Even the protester inside the costume may not have anticipated how famous the image would become.”

Türkiye!🇹🇷😂pic.twitter.com/NAcRYo8LvL

— Alican Demirdağ (@AlicanDemirdag) March 27, 2025

But beyond the pop culture appeal, there’s something deeper going on.

Yuksel adds, “The absurdity of a beloved childhood character being chased by riot police highlights the stark contrast between the innocence of play and the brutality of state power. This contrast heightens the emotional and symbolic weight of the moment, making it resonate far beyond the protest itself.”

And while the image of a soaked Pikachu fleeing police may have sparked laughs online, it also caught the attention of the Turkish government. Chief Adviser to the President, Mehmet Ucum, downplayed the protesters’ creativity, calling it part of a broader, scripted political effort.

Cumhurbaşkanı Başdanışmanı Mehmet Uçum:

“Eylemlerin çekiciliğini artırmak için semboller kullanılıyor.

Pikachu, Semazen, evlenme teklifi, Örümcek Adam kostümü sembolizm için kullanıldı.

Bunlar tümüyle profesyonel işlerdir ve bir senaryoya dayanıyor.” pic.twitter.com/2V8gzFKpA1

— BPT (@bpthaber) March 30, 2025

“Symbols are being used to increase the appeal of the actions,” Ucum said. “Pikachu, Whirling Dervish, marriage proposal, Spider-Man costume were used for symbolism. These are all entirely professional works and are based on a script.”

As the world watches these protests unfold, one thing is clear: resistance is no longer just about slogans and marches. It’s also about memes, mascots, and yes—even Pokemon. For now, Pikachu isn’t just catching them all—he’s catching the world’s attention.

With input from agencies