Hear Guevara: « The Psychological War instrument » Picachu became a hero in Turkey
Pikachu, chased by police. Pikachu as he bounces around protesters. Demonstrators chanting: « Pikachu, Pikachu! » The video with a yellow inflatable mouse suit, which has become a symbol of the Pokémon franchise and running with thousands of protesters against Antalya power, was not installation, but in the first night of its protest it looked like exoticism, caught by a photojournalist in the city.
Until not went out To protest the second evening, and the opposition did not make it a cartoon version of Che Guevara.
In fact, Picachu was not even the only inflatable protest suit after the mayor of Istanbul and Turkish President Ekrem Imamoglu’s main rival. Last week, a woman disguised herself as a dinosaur in Ankara and statedthat it comes from Ankarapark, a project by former mayor Melih Gokchek – according to the opposition, the largest unfinished and abandoned attraction park in the world.
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However, the great interest in Picachu also fed the Republican People’s Party (RNP), of which Imamoglu was. Its main communication channel in x shared The video from the first protest night of the yellow hero. In almost three days, the video alone had over 4 million reviews.
The « Great Revolutionary Picachu » was shown stylized as Che Guevara (but with the inscription « heard » instead of « that ») of a known activist to the party.
« Even in Japan they heard » about his arrest, commented Another. « Even Pikachu is compatible », wrote RNP frame from Ankara. « This means that no one can remain neutral in this country. »
« Psychological War »
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Another clip showed The « reinforcement » for Picachu, traveling on the highways before the rally.
But not everyone understood what was funny.
« CNNN Turk », which is on the list of Boycott of the RNP, asked Whether Pikachu is a « instrument of psychological war ».
Journalist he saw References to an old project for political engineering (trace the slogan « that does not jump is an Erdoganist » to his familiar start in Chile and the time of Pinochet) to bind Pikachu with the RNP communication machine, whose propaganda methods came from centers based in the United States.
Spontaneously protesting or not, the yellow hero brings smiles to that part of the Turks who have been sharing the worrying news about Imamoglu or footage of police violence for ten days and expressing their fear of the country’s direction.
On Friday, Pikachu decided to make a statement on the matter.
« I had such an idea because of the tense events that have happened in our country lately », said He in a video with Antalya Aikut Kaya MP in Antalya. « I’m glad they have, Pikachu, » the MP says.
